"Metro Exodus was about hope. It was about leaving the Metro and going out to discover a brighter future. Metro 2039 is the reverse of that. It's this journey back into the depths of hell. And the further you go, the darker it's going to become."
That quote from executive producer Jon Bloch paints an evocative picture of what to expect from Metro 2039, the next landmark first-person shooter from 4A Games. It's been over seven years since Metro Exodus looked beyond the claustrophobic confines of the Moscow Metro system, and this long-awaited sequel is set to drag us back into the depths for a battle over the soul of the Metro itself.
Artyom and the band of Spartan Rangers he led beyond the outskirts of Moscow aren't coming back. The abandoned civilization which exists within the Metro, survivors of a nuclear apocalypse, are united under a single banner – the Novoreich, led by a fanatical Spartan known as Hunter – and their situation has only become more dire since the events of Metro 2033 and Metro Last Light.
"We are showing the horrors of tyranny. We are talking about the cost of silence and the price of freedom," says creative director Andriy Shevchenko. What that means is a far darker instalment to the Metro series. A return to the story-driven, linear action which drove the first two games – all while 4A leverages key gameplay innovations that helped Exodus shine.
I've played Metro 2039 and spoken with the creative team working to bring it to life, and I'm convinced that it's going to be one of the most essential video games of 2027. You'll take on the role of a new protagonist for this descent into darkness, the reclusive Stranger, who is drawn back to the decaying tunnels of the Metro after ghosts from his past force him out of exile.
What he finds upon his return fuels an extraordinary adventure. Exploration across irradiated wastelands, monsters suffering a half-century of mutations, survivors warped by ideology, anomalous threats that bind it all together. And to survive it, you'll need to wield some of the heaviest and punchiest stealth-action gunplay of the generation.
Our Big Metro 2039 Preview is here, so ready yourself for a harrowing journey back into the shattered ruins of Moscow.
Exclusive Access
After spending four hours exploring the irradiated ruins of Moscow and its underlying Metro system, I'm convinced that developer 4A Games is set to deliver one of the most powerful first-person shooters of the entire generation. In this new hands-on preview of Metro 2039 you'll learn new gameplay details about the 2027 release, and find the five ways it has burrowed into my brain.
In this exclusive interview with 4A Games, I speak with creative director Andriy Shevchenko and executive producer Jon Bloch about Metro 2039 – the darkest and starkest instalment to the series to date. Here you'll learn more about the harsh conditions the Stranger finds himself in as he returns to the Moscow Metro system, and uncover what horrors await.
4A Games used Gamescom: Opening Night Live 2026 as a stage to demonstrate the stunning attention to detail it is capturing for this long-awaited return to the Moscow Metro system. I've analysed that gameplay footage to help you discover all of the new gameplay mechanics being introduced in Metro 2039, and the systems returning from Metro Exodus.
Impressed by what you've seen and heard of Metro 2039 so far but are looking for more information about the story, setting, and series? Then you'll want to check out our recap page which is designed to quickly get you up to speed on the upcoming release. It's here where you'll also find all key release information and other details you need to know about this bleak FPS' return to the depths.
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Latest Metro 2039 Gameplay
Metro 2039 Screenshots
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