Metro 2039: Everything You Need to Know

Metro 2039 brings the post apocalyptic series back beneath Moscow with a new protagonist, an authoritarian regime and what 4A Games describes as its darkest Metro story yet.

Set in 2039, six years after the events of Metro 2033, the fourth mainline entry introduces players to a former Spartan known only as the Stranger.

Developed by 4A Games and published by Deep Silver, Metro 2039 is a story driven, single player FPS combining exploration, survival, stealth and combat.

Here is everything confirmed about Metro 2039 so far.

Metro 2039 will be released on February 4, 2027, in the UK and most other regions. It will arrive one day later in some territories, including Australia, New Zealand and parts of Asia.

The game is coming to:

• PlayStation 5
• Xbox Series X|S
• PC through Steam, Epic Games Store and Xbox on PC

Metro 2039 can currently be added to wishlists, while preorders are expected to open later in 2026.

Metro Exodus took Artyom and the Spartans beyond Moscow, but Metro 2039 returns to the tunnels and settlements beneath the devastated city.

By 2039, the Metro’s factions and station communities have been united under the Novoreich. This new regime is controlled by Hunter, the legendary Spartan who now rules as its Fuhrer.

Hunter promises to reclaim the surface and build a new future for humanity. However, the Novoreich maintains control through fear, propaganda and violence while preparing the Metro for another war.

4A Games says the story will explore the consequences of war, the cost of silence, the horrors of tyranny and the price of freedom.

Metro 2039 replaces Artyom with a new protagonist simply known as the Stranger.

The Stranger is a former Spartan living in self imposed exile in the wilderness. Haunted by violent waking nightmares connected to his past, he has no desire to return to the Metro.

However, circumstances eventually force him back towards Moscow. His exact objective remains a mystery, but 4A Games has confirmed that he is relentlessly pursuing a particular target.

Unlike a traditional hero, the Stranger is presented as a brutal and adaptable survivor willing to fight through anyone standing between him and his goal. His Spartan armour may cause others to view him as a symbol of hope, even if saving the Metro is not his priority.

One of the revealed gameplay sequences involves reaching a Novoreich fortress located inside a dam. The journey takes players across Moscow’s irradiated surface, where mutants and dangers hidden inside ruined apartment blocks stand in their way.

Underground, Metro 2039 returns to the claustrophobic tunnels and populated stations associated with the series. Above ground, players will explore dense ruins filled with abandoned homes, playgrounds and reminders of the people who lived there before the war.

Metro 2039 will once again use environmental storytelling to reveal what happened in each location. 4A Games calls these scenes “frozen stories,” with carefully placed bodies, belongings and environmental details allowing observant players to piece together smaller stories while exploring.

Encounters can be approached quietly or head on using a mixture of firearms and survival equipment. The revealed gameplay includes silenced shots, close range shotgun combat and Molotov cocktails being used against groups of enemies.

The footage also shows masonry breaking apart during firefights, adding more chaos to battles across Moscow’s ruined surface.

Radiation remains another constant threat outside the tunnels, requiring players to monitor their exposure and maintain their protective equipment while exploring.

Players will have access to several new weapons and survival tools.

The Shatun is Metro 2039’s new signature weapon. This powerful pneumatic rifle must be manually pumped to maintain its pressure, but it can deliver devastating silenced shots when properly prepared.

Players can also use a breaching tool to break through weakened walls and a cutting torch to open certain sealed doors. These tools can reveal alternative routes, hidden supplies and additional environmental stories.

A more powerful UV light can expose concealed mutants, illuminate hidden codes and help solve puzzles. It is also capable of repelling the new flying Insectalis enemies.

Other confirmed equipment includes the returning Duplet shotgun and throwable weapons such as Molotov cocktails.

The ruins of Moscow remain filled with mutated creatures.

A Nosalis appeared during the original gameplay reveal, while the Insectalis is a newly introduced flying mutant that can be repelled using the UV light.

The end of the Renegade gameplay trailer also features the voices of the Dark Ones joining Hunter’s broadcast. Their exact involvement has not been revealed, leaving another mystery surrounding the conflict beneath Moscow.

Metro 2039 is being developed using the studio’s proprietary 4A Engine and is the first game in the series created from the ground up for ray tracing.

A dedicated Performance Mode will run at 60 FPS with ray tracing enabled on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 5 Pro and Xbox Series X. The console gameplay shown during State of Play was captured on a PlayStation 5 Pro using this mode.

Further technical details about Metro 2039’s different platforms and visual modes will be revealed closer to release.

No. Metro 2039 features an original story and a new cast, making it a suitable starting point for newcomers.

Returning players will recognise connections to the wider Metro universe, but completing the previous games will not be required to understand the story.