The Return of the King: Metro Is Back

The name Dmitry Glukhovsky is synonymous with one thing –the wildly successful Metro 2033 series of novels released online in 2002 before being officially published in 2005. To many readers, Glukhovsky painted a future that seemed too real to ignore. The original novel follows the main character Artyom as he attempts to navigate a world destroyed by nuclear war and the horrors of humanity that always seem to follow us.

This original novel, and the flurry of sequels that were written in the years after it’s release, have cemented their legacy to this day with their grim outlook on mankind in it’s darkest moments, and have drawn in praise for feeling like a story rooted in realism as opposed to some post-apocalyptic fantasy that checks all the boxes we’ve seen a thousand time. So how does a timeless story of mankind’s disgusting nature translate to the video game space? In the best way possible if I’m being honest.

The Metro series of games have been some of the most slept on games released in the modern era. From the original Metro 2033 released on in 2010, to the latest entry in the series Metro Exodus, which has sold over 10 million copies in it’s own right since it’s release in 2019, 4A Games has consistently shown that they are more then willing and capable of bringing the twisted world of the novels to our screens.

The next entry in the series, Metro 2039, has just been revealed after a period of relative quiet, and it looks to be the most jarring and emotional entry in the series yet. You don’t have take my word for it. Take a look for yourself.

We’ve Found A Voice

One of the biggest changes in Metro 2039 will be that for the first time in the series, our protagonist will have a voice. Gone is Artyom, a staple in the first 3 games and in is a character known only as the Stranger. The Stranger has long lived on the surface despite the dangers. However ghosts of Stranger’s past have forced him to the tunnels.

If you are fearing that the Stranger being fully voiced might take away from the atmospheric storytelling that the Metro series is most known for, fear not. 4A Games is putting a heavy emphasis on the atmosphere and the story they are trying to tell.

Metro 2039 will be sticking to its roots, delivering a story driven, single player experience. The 4th addition in the series, and first since 2019, Metro 2039 is said to be much darker than its predecessors. “We are not romanticizing the post-apocalypse, or making a theme park out of it. Metro has always been a more tragic view on our actions as humanity,” says Co-Creative Director and Lead Audio Designer, Pawel Ulmer.

As mentioned earlier, Dmitry Glukhovsky has returned to help craft Metro 2039’s story. With the team mostly located in Ukraine and dealing with the war between Russia and Ukraine, their real life experiences have helped when it comes to better understanding what it must feel like to live in the world of Metro.

“The meaning [of our games] has always been about preventing war,” said Ulmer. “But now,” Creative Director Andriy ‘mLs’ Shevchenko added, “war is our reality, and our message has shifted to be about the consequences, the cost of silence, the horrors of tyranny, and the price of freedom.” Ulmer continued: “When Russia’s full-scale invasion began, it changed the lives of everyone in the studio – but more so of our team and families in Ukraine. Even today, the majority of our team works from various locations around Ukraine.”

With today’s reveal it is clear that 4A Games is on top of their game, and Metro 2039 looks like something that should be on everyone’s radar. While we don’t have any specifics dates, we know that Metro 2039 is coming to Xbox Series S/X, PlayStation 5 and PC “this winter”. So expect a late 2026, early 2027 date in the future.

If you’re as stunned as I am from what you just watched, don’t fret. The goosebumps will go away soon and you’ll be left with a game that looks like an improvement on everything we’ve come to love in the series. Looking for more? Check out the article here for some more information. I promise you it’s worth it.