Developer 4A Games revealed the first trailer for Metro 2039, the next installment in its post-apocalyptic survival shooter series, during an Xbox-branded event. The game returns to the claustrophobic tunnels of post-apocalyptic Moscow, where factions have united under a fascist dictator. Set for launch this winter on Xbox, PlayStation 5, and PC, the title's development was shaped by Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
In the trailer, players control The Stranger, a reclusive character plagued by nightmares who reluctantly returns to the Moscow Metro. Since the events of Metro Exodus, the warring factions have been unified under the Novoreich, a totalitarian regime led by a new Führer known as Spartan Ranger Hunter. Co-creative director Pawel Ulmer described it as the franchise's darkest story yet, stating, “We are not romanticizing the post-apocalypse, or making a theme park out of it. Metro has always been a more tragic view on our actions as humanity.” The game promises hand-crafted levels with naturalistic environmental storytelling called “frozen stories,” built on 4A's in-house engine for a hauntingly beautiful world. The Ukrainian studio faced significant challenges during development amid Russia's full-scale invasion. Creative director Andriy Shevchenko explained, “War is our reality, and our message has shifted to be about the consequences, the cost of silence, the horrors of tyranny, and the price of freedom.” Ulmer added, “When Russia’s full-scale invasion began, it changed the lives of everyone in the studio—but more so of our team and families in Ukraine. Even today, the majority of our team works from various locations around Ukraine.” Author Dmitry Glukhovsky, living in exile after criticizing the Russian government, contributed to the storyline from a uniquely Ukrainian perspective. Metro 2039 will be available on Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5, PC via Steam and Epic Games Store.
