4A Games breaks its long silence and announces "Metro 2039," the next major milestone in the shooter series, for release this winter. The title abandons the expansive landscapes of its predecessor and returns to where the series found its identity: the claustrophobic, irradiated darkness beneath Moscow. Players take on the role of the "Outsider," fighting to survive against the rising Novomatic empire in a metro system riddled with propaganda and tyranny.
The return to confinement
The most important news first: “Metro 2039“ will be released this coming winter. While its predecessor, “Metro Exodus,” explored the vastness of Russia via the Aurora train, the developers at 4A Games are now returning to the “dark heart” of the Moscow Metro. The time of hope seems to be over; the first impressions we were able to see paint a picture of utter devastation, in which heaven, hell, and even purgatory have been obliterated. Those who die remain in the Metro – a soul without a destination.”
In this scenario, we no longer control Artyom, but the "Stranger." This new protagonist is described as a recluse plagued by violent nightmares. He is a fully voiced character, which should significantly increase the emotional connection and narrative depth compared to his mostly silent predecessors. His path leads him back into the shafts he never wanted to enter again—a classic motif of reluctance that perfectly complements the oppressive atmosphere.
Hunter and the Novo Empire: A new antagonist
The political landscape underground has radically changed. The once fragmented factions and station communities have been forcibly united under a single banner: the Novo Empire. The surprise for fans of the books and games is that the leader of this regime is none other than the legendary Spartan Hunter.
But the "pure nation" and the "bright future" proclaimed in the video are a facade. Hunter promises the people a life on the surface, but in reality, a climate of hostility prevails in the Metro. Loud demands for obedience can be heard, mercy is interpreted as weakness; anyone marked as an enemy must be destroyed. The people respond with a mechanical "Yes, sir," while in the background the screams of those being swallowed by the system can be heard.
Ray tracing pioneers on a new level
Technically, 4A Games remains true to its approach and doesn't rely on third-party solutions like the Unreal Engine. "Metro 2039" is based on the latest iteration of the 4A Engine. The developers emphasize that they have completely rebuilt the ray tracing system. The goal is an optimized, high-performance experience that not only pushes the hardware to its limits but also renders it "incredibly beautiful."
A particular focus is placed on the so-called "frozen stories." The engine's tools allow for an object density that, according to the studio, makes nothing seem "prefabricated." Spilled tea, an unfinished card game, or a corpse next to empty shell casings are meant to explain to the player, without dialogue, what happened in a particular location. This narrative density in the details is the technological core intended to elevate immersion to a new level.
A game scarred by war
You can't consider "Metro 2039" without its real-world context. 4A Games is a predominantly Ukrainian studio, and the large-scale Russian invasion of 2022 fundamentally changed development. The team works under conditions of power outages, generator operation, and missile attacks.
These experiences have led to Metro 2039 adopting a significantly darker tone. It's no longer just about survival against mutants, but about the "price of silence" and the "horrors of tyranny." The collaboration with Dmitry Glukhovsky, the author of the novels, who lives in exile in Russia and is wanted on an arrest warrant, reinforces the game's political dimension. The game presents itself as a work from a "uniquely Ukrainian perspective," without abandoning the familiar Metro universe.
Those hoping for open-world elements will be disappointed – “Metro 2039” is a claustrophobic experience. The focus is clearly on moral consequences. According to the developers, actions come at a higher price than in previous installments. It's not a romanticized post-apocalypse, but a tragic view of human behavior.
"Metro 2039" feels like a therapeutic way for the development team to process their reality. Technically, the decision to forgo the surface environments of Exodus in favor of extremely detailed interiors is a clever move to maximize the ray tracing effects. Hunter's return as the antagonist is a narrative gamble, but one that could lend the story the necessary weight. Players should prepare for a hardware-intensive experience that aims to set new standards for atmospheric winter settings.
I'm incredibly excited for the game. I've been a fan since Metro 2033, I own all the books, and I absolutely adore Andrej Tarkov's St. Petersburg trilogy!
The books are brilliant and among the best I have ever read; the games are sometimes a bit clunky but also fantastic.
The world, the gameplay, the stories, the characters… I truly love the Metro series from the bottom of my heart and have been waiting like an impatient little child ever since Exodus (which I initially thought was awful but then grew to love) for the sequel to finally be officially announced.
I'm buying the most amazing edition; the Exodus one was already fantastic. I'm excited for the announcement and hope my PC can handle it xD
I think the series is overrated. It's neither better nor worse than Atomic Heart. The games have one thing in common: they'll try to twist the narrative to their own side, and then the media/politicians will tell us why Atomic Heart should be canceled and Metro celebrated.
I almost always agree with you, but I see this completely differently...
Metro is an incredibly ingenious and wonderful series. I love the world, the stories, the characters, the beauty in this devastated world. From wiping the water off the gas mask, to burning away cobwebs with a lighter, cranking the mobile generator for the helmet lamp, pumping the hydraulics for the rifle… there are so many little and big things that make this series great.
The stories are wonderful, full of humanity and hope. The characters are superbly written and grow on you. It's about humanity and hope, about fighting for what's right and helping others, not giving up on yourself and standing up for others.
The entire Metro series is what Sony wants to be with Last of Us, God of War, etc. (the modern titles):
Entertainment for adults with various meta-levels that encourage reflection, thought and questioning.
I know that the Ukraine-Russia "conflict" has a strong influence on the new installment, but in my opinion, you can't compare that to Atomic Heart, which supposedly had substantial funding and, for example, simply included the Geran-5 drones used to kill people as an Easter egg, or the cans of pork with the Ukrainian flag... that was tasteless and inhumane. Besides, Atomic Heart was incredibly boring.
Things have been crazy on Steam since yesterday. The forums are full of Russian players who are now pissed off because they've been playing since the first Metro game and now, with the latest installment, they're being forced to confront the issue. Of course, nobody likes that, but honestly, I think 4A Games handled it very... "respectfully."
If you knew nothing about the whole situation in Ukraine, you could easily mistake this for a Wolfenstein within the Metro franchise. It's even a well-known character who's now (allegedly) become the enemy, and the themes are just as relevant to what was happening in Germany back then.
If you know what's going on in Ukraine, you can see the allusions.
It is terrible what people do to other people, and no matter who does it to whom, there is no justification for it. But in the eyes of most, Ukraine is the country that is being harmed, because the "enemy" is coming to them, to their country, and taking everything away from them.
That a Ukrainian studio would want to process all the pain, suffering, and terrible, inhumane things that were and are being done to them in a game, and thus also encourage reflection, is something that, as far as I've read in other comments, most people can completely understand. And since Glukhovsky is a damn good writer, the story will be mature and humane, not inflammatory or anything like that.
Yeah, but you know, I don't want to skimp on quality, no matter which side I'm on. You know, the way the war is portrayed feels like they're trying to farm sympathy, or it's propaganda, and of course, it's no better. I think those two countries have other things to do than develop video games; all that's missing is a game from Iran or Israel. I think it's also the case for me that, since I'm a native Russian speaker, it's completely different. In everyday life, when Ukrainians speak Russian themselves, and you start speaking Russian, they switch to Ukrainian, which I don't understand. Because they think I'm Russian. Of course, I understand why they do that, but not every Russian speaker is the same. That's why the game isn't for me anymore, and also because the first two installments didn't convince me. But hey, you know, if you like it, don't let it influence you; everyone has different tastes.
Did you really not like the Metro games back then? I loved Metro from the very beginning… I remember being totally disappointed that Metro 2033 wasn't available for the PS3 but was for the Xbox… I then bought Metro Last Light (the second part) for the PS3, and with the PS4, Metro 2033 finally came to the PlayStation. After that, Metro Exodus came out, and I had so many problems with the game… it felt so f*cking wrong running through that semi-open world… I quit and was just so disappointed. Then later, I tried it again and persevered, approached it more casually, and knew that it had larger areas. The spark was totally ignited, and it was so much fun. The areas were amazing, there was something to discover everywhere, and all the (Russian) inhabitants, NPCs, etc., were sometimes brilliantly written. So many good moments, memories, and experiences. To this day, one of the most beautiful open world games for me.
If you don't like the series at all, that's a shame, but if you found it clunky, cumbersome, or overwhelming (which the series is sometimes at the beginning), I would definitely recommend giving it another try and giving the games a second chance 🙂
I understand your example with the language. We have some Russian neighbors here who are nicer and more polite (older people) than all the other riffraff who live here… you just can't generalize.
"You just can't generalize."
from both sides 😉
It's bad enough what's going on right now, and especially in Germany you can find out relatively freely who is spreading propaganda where and what's true and what's not, especially if you speak the language and can get information from practically anywhere.
Whether 4A Games is spreading propaganda... hmm... they're just processing what's happening on their doorstep. Just today I saw a report on Reddit from public broadcasters about thousands, even tens of thousands, of Ukrainian children being kidnapped and taken to Korea for re-education. That's sick and inhumane... no matter what country you're from, nobody can condone that, and as a father, it makes my blood boil.
That's exactly what 4A Games addresses, for example in the new Metro, and I find that important and right from a human perspective. If it were the other way around, I would see it the same way. Furthermore, at least one developer colleague from 4A Games died in the war.
In a society that carries on as if nothing has happened and ignores how people are suffering while people here are wondering whether they should go to G3nd3rn, I think it's right to remind people, if they want to play Metro (and Metro always had intense themes and a message), what is happening every day with the developers in their own country.
Metro is no longer just fiction, unfortunately.