Metro 2039 is the fourth mainline Metro game: an unreleased, single-player post-apocalyptic first-person shooter developed by 4A Games and published by Deep Silver. It tells a new original story set in Moscow in 2039, with a new protagonist called the Stranger. The story was created with Metro author Dmitry Glukhovsky, but the game is not a remake, an expansion, or a direct adaptation of one specific novel.
The confirmed experience combines exploration, survival, combat, and stealth. Because the game has not launched, those details come from official pre-release descriptions and store listings rather than final-version testing. Mission structure, campaign length, balance values, and the launch build remain unconfirmed.
Metro 2039 at a glance
| Detail | Confirmed information |
|---|---|
| Game type | Post-apocalyptic first-person shooter |
| Place in the series | Fourth mainline Metro game |
| Mode | Single-player story campaign |
| Developer | 4A Games |
| Publisher | Deep Silver |
| Setting | Moscow in 2039, including the Metro and the ruined surface |
| Protagonist | The Stranger |
| Current status | Unreleased and available for pre-order |
| Announced platforms | PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC through Steam, Epic Games Store, and Xbox on PC |
A new mainline Metro game
Metro 2039 continues the mainline series with a new story rather than rebuilding an earlier game. Its announced lead is the Stranger, a reclusive man living beyond Moscow who suffers violent waking nightmares. Official material describes him as a voiced protagonist, giving the player access to more of his thoughts and turmoil than a silent lead would provide.
The game remains part of the world created by Dmitry Glukhovsky. However, “inspired by” is the important distinction: 4A Games describes this as an original story developed with Glukhovsky, not a game adaptation of a particular Metro book.
An official Metro 2039 scene introducing The Stranger.
Setting and premise
The story takes place in post-apocalyptic Moscow in 2039. A quarter century after nuclear war, survivors remain in conflict beneath the poisoned city. The Metro has been united under Hunter, a fanatical Spartan whose Novoreich regime controls people through propaganda and fear while preparing for a new war on the surface.
Outside the city, the Stranger is driven from exile by the return of his past and must travel through Moscow's ruins toward the place he had sworn never to revisit: the Metro. The announced themes focus on tyranny, silence, freedom, and the human cost of war. This is enough to establish the premise, but not enough to treat unrevealed plot events or character outcomes as known facts.
What the game plays like
Official descriptions organize Metro 2039 around four connected pillars rather than a single style of action.
| Pillar | Confirmed examples |
|---|---|
| Exploration | Deadly swamps, irradiated cityscapes, claustrophobic tunnels, hidden areas, and environmental details that tell small stories |
| Survival | Radiation hazards, deteriorating gear that needs repair, electronics that need charging, and resources crafted during dangerous situations |
| Combat and stealth | Flexible stealth and gunplay against Novoreich soldiers and mutant enemies |
| Progression | Blueprints, hand-made weapon customization, and upgrades for the suit, mask, weapons, backpack, and other items |
The UV tool can reveal secrets, while some routes can be opened by cutting or blasting through obstacles. The Shatun rifle is the only named new weapon confirmed in the supplied official descriptions. These examples show the intended tool-driven survival loop, but they do not establish the final number of weapons, upgrades, paths, or enemy types.
The announced environments range from exposed swamps and irradiated urban ruins to enclosed Metro tunnels. That mix confirms both surface and underground exploration. It does not, by itself, confirm a fully open world or define how separate areas connect in the finished campaign.
An official gameplay scene showing underground exploration and survival equipment.
What Metro 2039 is not
Metro 2039 should not be confused with several different kinds of release:
- It is not a Metro 2033 remake. It is a new mainline game with a new protagonist and original story.
- It is not an expansion for Metro Exodus. It is presented as the next standalone mainline entry.
- It is not a direct adaptation of one Metro novel. The game uses the established universe and was co-written with Glukhovsky.
- It is not a released game with final reviews or verified completion data. Any current gameplay account is limited to pre-release footage, announcements, or store descriptions.
Release status and supported systems
Metro 2039 is scheduled for February 4, 2027, with February 5 listed for some regions in Asia, Australia, and New Zealand. The confirmed systems are PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC through Steam, Epic Games Store, and Xbox on PC. Pre-orders are open.
No official launch has occurred at the current information baseline. That means storefront feature lists can establish the planned product, but they cannot confirm the final build, day-one patch, performance, campaign duration, or post-launch balance.
The practical definition before launch
At this stage, Metro 2039 is best understood as 4A Games' next mainline, story-led Metro FPS: a single-player journey through ruined Moscow and its underground tunnels, led by the Stranger and built around exploration, survival pressure, combat, stealth, and equipment management.
That definition is supported by the official pre-release record. More specific claims about missions, map structure, exact mechanics, or outcomes should wait for official launch information or verified final-version evidence.