Metro 2039 is the next entry in the post apocalyptic FPS series, and it's coming from Metro Exodus developer, 4A Games.
First revealed back in April, we then got an Xbox: First Look showcase which gave us more insight into the darker dystopian setting, with Metro 2039 set to draw you onto the irradiated streets of Moscow, as well as the claustrophobic underground depths. With a release date confirmed at September 2026's Sony State of Play, more trailers have landed, as well as the reveal of the protagonist you'll be assuming the role of.
And to top it all off, the Xbox Games Showcase June 2026 showcase also showed off some more gameplay. With a better idea of what's in store in the new game, we've brought together a roundup of everything you need to know about the Metro 2039 below, from details on the story, pre-orders, and more.
Metro 2039 release date
Metro 2039 will launch on February 4, 2027.
The latest news from the State of Play showcase firms up the amended launch window, which was announced during the Xbox Games Showcase June 2026 stream. This pushed it back from the previous Winter 2026 date that was originally given at the end of Metro 2039's initial reveal, but thankfully, we don't have long left to wait at all!
What are the confirmed Metro 2039 platforms?
It should come as no surprise to see Metro 2039 is coming to PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X when it releases in 2027.
There's no exclusivity locking 2039 to any platform so everyone will get to mask up at the same time when it arrives. It's always been a graphically demanding game, which probably explains it not being among the upcoming Switch 2 games lineup upfront. But that's not to say it might not make it to Nintendo-land in the future, as previous games did eventually make the jump several years after the original release.
Metro 2039 trailers
Metro 2039 setting details
So far, we know the setting of Metro 2039 takes place in Moscow, and is going back to the tunnels after Metro Exodus' more open world hubs. Creative director, Andriy Mls Shevchenko, stated this in the initial reveal: "So we're going back to the tunnels and leaning into what makes Metro 'Metro' - the intensity of darkness, the intimacy of closed spaces and the feeling that every step forward. Every decision made has a cost."
Co-creative director Pavel Ulmer confirmed the location, saying, "Metro 2039 takes you to the dark heart of the Moscow Metro, where the last survivors of the nuclear apocalypse struggle to exist in the dark tunnels and subway of the ruined city".
Metro 2039 gameplay
A first look at Metro 2039 gameplay debuted during the Xbox Games Showcase June 2026 event.
Showing three minutes of footage captured in-game, you can see how you'll be able to do stealthy takedowns, plant explosives, and engage with the environment in different ways. With flavors of Metro games past, it paints a picture of 2039's blend of horror and its immersive, gritty survival feel across irradiated Moscow streets.
The trailer also hints at some fresh features, with an Xbox Wire post highlighting "some new items and mutant variants" on display.
In our Metro 2039 hands-on preview of the playtest (which you can watch in video form above), we explore how good the gunplay and movement is, as well as the fact that 2039 is dialling up the horror in its tight tunnels, and getting stealthy can be your best bet at survival when groups of mutants are nearby.
Who's the new Metro 2039 hero?
For the first time in the series Metro 2039 won't star Artyom, the long running silent protagonist of the games (and slightly less silent in the books). There's an all new voiced hero taking center stage this time - known only as 'The Stranger' this character is "plagued by his violent nightmares [and] forced to undertake a harrowing journey back down to the Metro, a place he swore to never return" according to co-creative director Pavel Ulmer.
That's not a lot to go on but the idea The Stranger has spent time away from the Metro is interesting given the surface world is largely uninhabitable, and Metro Exodus was all about finding somewhere people could live outside of the tunnels.
What will the Metro 2039 story be?
Metro 2039's story paints a very different world to the one we've seen before - of various stations and factions carving out their own post-apocalyptic niche as best they can. "The underground factions and station communities have all been united," creative director Andriy Mls Shevchenko has said in 2039. Which sounds great... except it's "under one banner, the NovoReich, led by a new Fuhrer". So that's less good.
This new Fuhrer is a familiar name too: the legendary Spartan Hunter. He's a prominent character in the books, but his fate has been up in the air in the games until now - presumed dead or taken by the supernatural Dark Ones. Previously, he's been a positive figure, admired by other characters and appearing in the first game as mentor like figure to the previous hero Artyom. After that, there are references to him scattered throughout the subsequent games.
But, while Metro 2039 sees Hunter return, he's now this new Fuhrer, who "promises a new life for the people up on the surface. In reality, they are trapped down in the Metro, flooded with propaganda, misinformation and fear," explains creative director Andriy Mls Shevchenko. "The people suffer under his authoritarian regime and the brutal belief, if it's hostile, you kill it."
Can I pre-order Metro 2039?
Metro 2039 pre-orders are now live across all platforms, with some different editions available both physically and digitally.
Alongside a standard edition ($69.99 / £59.99), there's also a Deluxe Edition ($109.99 / £94.99) that comes with a steelbook, artbook, soundtrack, and story expansion DLC.
There's also a Metro 2039 Collector's Edition that comes with a replica Spartan helmet. There's a pre-order bonus for picking up any edition ahead of release that gets you a Specialist Pack.
If you want some down the barrel action while you wait for Metro 2039 then check out out list of the best FPS games.
