4A Games has finally unveiled the first gameplay teaser for Metro 2039, and it promises to be the darkest installment in the series yet.
The studio has candidly discussed how the Russian military invasion has impacted the game’s development.
“War is our reality, and our message has shifted towards the consequences, the cost of silence, the horrors of tyranny, and the price of freedom,” stated Shevchenko.
Some team members worked amidst drone strikes, relying on generators and batteries. The studio primarily operates in Ukraine, with a secondary office in Malta.
Technically, the game is built on the proprietary 4A Engine, featuring revamped ray tracing technology. Metro 2039 is set to release in winter 2026, launching simultaneously on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC via Steam and Epic Games Store. Prior to the reveal, Glukhovsky had already described it as “the darkest game in the series.”
“War is our reality, and our message has shifted towards the consequences, the cost of silence, the horrors of tyranny, and the price of freedom,” stated Shevchenko.
During the Xbox First Look showcase, the studio presented an extensive 15-minute demonstration featuring the initial gameplay footage and cinematic scenes. After the open-world setting of Metro Exodus, the new installment returns to its roots, with the narrative unfolding in Moscow’s underground tunnels familiar from the first two games. According to Creative Director Andriy Shevchenko, the team deliberately “returned to the tunnels and what makes Metro — Metro.”
The protagonist is no longer Artyom but a new character known as “The Stranger,” a recluse driven by nightmarish visions to revisit a place they vowed never to return to. Twenty-five years after the nuclear catastrophe, all underground factions have united under a single banner — the New Reich led by the fanatical Spartan Hunter. The storyline is crafted in collaboration with Dmitriy Glukhovsky, the author of the original novels.
In the gameplay teaser, fans will recognize familiar elements: handcrafted weapons, a minimalist interface with a watch, and claustrophobic corridors. The Stranger encounters nosalises — mole-like mutants the size of gorillas. A calculated retreat down an escalator and a weapon jam hint at the ongoing critical importance of equipment condition. A new mechanic, “frozen stories,” replaces some traditional dialogues, allowing players to gather micro-narratives by exploring locations and examining bodies, objects, and scenery.
More than just a game: Dmitriy Glukhovsky shared his vision for the new Metro installments.
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What do you think about this article? Vote: It’s great Yoy, let it be! Darn it! Oh, come on… It annoys me to no end!
What do you think about this article? Vote: It’s great Yoy, let it be! Darn it! Oh, come on… It annoys me to no end!