Metro 2039 officially revealed: Everything that's been announced so far

Metro 2039 has been officially revealed by Ukrainian-Matlese studio 4A Games and there's a lot to unpack from a mind-bending reveal trailer, first look at gameplay and what developers have said about the game so far.

The Metro games are based on the series of books from Russian author Dmitry Glukhovsky. It's set in a post-apocalyptic Russia where a nuclear war has sent the last remaining survivors underground and resources are scarce. There are nuclear-mutated monsters that lurk both on the surface and underground too.

Glukhovsky is a political exile and was sentenced in absentia in 2023 to eight years in prison for violating censorship laws relating to the war in Ukraine, reports Reuters.

The Russia Ukraine war has had a big influence on Metro 2039, not just on the game itself but also developers who have been forced to shelter from strikes while working on the game in Kyiv.

Here's a look at everything that's been announced about Metro 2039 so far.

Moscow metro's inhabitants are oppressed by the Novoreich regime / 4A Games, Deep Silver

What did the Metro 2039 reveal trailer show?

A mind-bending and harrowing Metro 2039 reveal trailer showed different realities from the main character's perspective.

There's a new Fuhrer who promises those living underground in Moscow's metro a new life on the surface but is actually oppressing the people who live in the tunnels.

The Fuhrer, called Hunter, leads a Novoreich regime that rules through fear and people complying - or else. Underground factions and station communities have all been united under this one banner.

The main character, currently known as The Stranger, previously lived in the tunnels and swore to never return to them but has now been forced into going back down there.

The Stranger suffers from vivid, violent and harrowing nightmares of being pulled back underground. The trailer seemingly constantly shifts through memories, nightmares and reality, blurring what's real and what isn't.

Really powerful imagery has been used to capture the much darker mood of Metro 2039 compared to previous entries, such as chains weighing The Stranger down, kids in classrooms becoming faceless as they're being brainwashed under the oppressive regime and The Stranger struggling to grapple with reality.

Developers confirmed Metro 2039 will be the darkest entry in the series yet and will show what humans were like before the world ended like it did in this universe, what they became after and what they're willing to do to fight another day. They want players to feel and question what's around them in this game.

Metro 2039 looks beautiful and stunning yet terrifying and bleak in equal measure / 4A Games, Deep Silver

What did the Metro 2039 gameplay reveal show?

A first look at Metro 2039 featured a mix of gameplay and cinematics.

It shows a first-person perspective in the Metro behind a gas mask. It's deeply tense and atmospheric and The Stranger slowly navigates through underground ruins and rubble.

The graphics look absolutely stunning, there is so much attention to detail and the lighting is superb. 4A Games was one of the first studios to work with ray-tracing and it's seemingly taking that to the next level based on this.

That's because of small gaps in the floor above giving light a small platform to shine through, along with snow falling through looking incredibly vivid and raindrops landing on your gas mask as you navigate through.

The tension quickly ramps up as an infected monster emerges from the rubble and tries to take you out.

You go deeper into the darker tunnels to try and escape - but it catches you and looks absolutely terrifying. It looks like a mutated human with rat like features trying to eat you before you kill it brutally with a knife.

You then encounter a community which is stunned by your presence before another monster appears. People then shut a heavy gate to keep the monster out and save you before it cuts to black.

Metro 2039 is heavily influenced by the Russia Ukraine war / 4A Games, Deep Silver

Is the Russia Ukraine war an influence for Metro 2039?

Yes, the Russia Ukraine war is a massive influence on Metro 2039.

The latest entry has been in the works for a number of years but developers confirmed plans initially changed in 2020 due to the Covid pandemic - but then even moreso in 2022 when Russia invaded Ukraine with one of 4A Games' studios being based in Kyiv, Ukraine's capital and largest city.

Pavel Ulmer, co-creative director and lead audio designer, said: "When Russia's full scale invasion began, it changed the lives of everyone in the studio.

"But moreso of our team and families in Ukraine.

"We are a team of fighters, we will push through no matter what, such as getting electricity from generators and batteries, power outages or sheltering from rocket or drone attacks that are interrupting us but not stopping us from making what we deeply believe what we do best.

"Taking care of family is the biggest priority, sometimes you just put your head down and focus on work but it's each other's support that keeps you running."

In terms of the game itself, Metro games have always been about preventing war but now, war is a reality and messages have shifted to be about the consequences, cost of silence, the horrors of tyranny and the price of freedom.

Andriy MLS Shevchenko, creative director, added: "The war has shaped us and we have changed the story to be even more about choices, actions, consequences and what you have to pay to have a future.

"Reality forced us to take a different approach from a unique Ukrainian perspective but this is still a Metro story in the Metro universe."

What is Metro 2039's release date?

Metro 2039 is scheduled to release in Winter.

What platforms can I play Metro 2039 on?

Metro 2039 will be available to play on Xbox Series X/S, PS5 and PC. It's now available to Wishlist.

What engine is Metro 2039 being developed in?

Metro 2039 is being developed on 4A Engine, which is 4A Games' own, and is purpose built to make the games the developers want.

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