Metro 2039: Hunter returns as dictator of the Moscow metro
Metro 2039 is scheduled to launch on February 4, 2027, for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam, Epic Games Store, and Microsoft Store, with releases in Asia, Australia, and New Zealand following on February 5. Developed by 4A Games and published by Deep Silver, the single-player, story-driven first-person shooter serves as the fourth main installment in the franchise, following Metro 2033, Metro: Last Light, and Metro Exodus.
Developer 4A Games announced the title in April 2026, showcasing the project for the first time during the Xbox First Look broadcast on April 16. The studio later debuted a two-minute gameplay trailer titled Renegade during Gamescom Opening Night Live on August 25, 2026, featuring footage recorded directly from the game. Sony subsequently exhibited the first console footage during a PlayStation State of Play on September 3, capturing gameplay on a PS5 Pro running a dedicated performance mode with ray tracing at 60 frames per second.
Hunter Leads Novoreich in a Changed Moscow Metro
The narrative places players inside a Moscow metro system vastly different from the one depicted in earlier entries. Hunter, a Spartan ranger who gave Artyom a message for Polis in Metro 2033 before disappearing, returns as a figure of authority. The underground factions have united under a single regime named Novoreich, with Hunter installed as its Führer.
Players step into the role of Stranger, a former Spartan elite soldier with a dark past and recurring violent nightmares who previously swore never to return to the metro. Stranger breaks from the silent protagonist tradition established by Artyom across the first three games by featuring full voice acting. His journey through the subterranean network leads toward a Novoreich stronghold established inside a dam on the surface of Moscow, where the regime maintains control over the stations using propaganda and disinformation.
Proprietary Engine Powers Survival Mechanics and Weaponry
The software runs on 4A Games’ proprietary engine, which utilizes ray-traced global illumination and reflections designed for modern consoles and PC hardware. Promotional presentations have highlighted traditional survival mechanics, including monitoring radiation levels, cleaning dirt from a gas mask visor, checking an oxygen wrist-watch, and managing scarce ammunition supplies. Confirmed weaponry includes the Shatun rifle for silent headshots, the Duplet shotgun, and molotov cocktails.
The tone of the project shifted following geopolitical events in Eastern Europe. Creative lead Andriy Shevchenko and executive producer Jon Bloch have noted that the studio’s outlook altered after the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Bloch told IGN in August that the team reassessed the narrative they wanted to tell, while Shevchenko told Game Informer that the themes focus on the price of silence, the horrors of tyranny, and the cost of freedom.
Open Questions Regarding Level Design
Pre-orders open later in 2026, with Deep Silver confirming a Collector’s Edition that includes a physical replica of Stranger’s battle-worn Spartan helmet. Pricing details remain unannounced.
While Metro Exodus moved the franchise into expansive, open-air surface environments, promotional footage for Metro 2039 alternates between confined underground tunnels and ruined streets. Deep Silver and 4A Games have not yet clarified the exact structure of the campaign maps or the degree of openness players will encounter when the game releases in February.