During the Xbox First Look event on April 16, Metro 2039 immediately set the tone: six minutes of trailer are enough to understand that 4A Games is no longer just trying to scare, but to disturb. From terrified children’s gazes to summary executions and nuclear landscapes, this new installment pushes the darkness of the saga’s cult very far.
The Ukrainian studio, now split between Kiev and Malta, openly claims the direct influence of the war in Ukraine on the writing of this chapter. Metro has always addressed power, survival, and fascism, but 2039 takes a frontal stand on contemporary tyranny. This makes Metro 2039 the darkest and most political game in the franchise.
On social media, Dmitry Glukhovsky, author of the Metro novels and co-writer of the game, warned that “this Metro will be darker than anything you have seen before.” Exiled and condemned in Russia for his anti-war stance, he injects into Metro 2039 an uncompromising vision of a country ravaged by militarism and propaganda.
The developers of 4A Games recount having rewritten the scenario after the invasion of Ukraine in 2022. “War is our reality now, and our message speaks of the consequences, the cost of silence, the horrors of tyranny, and the price of freedom,” they explain in a presentation relayed by Gamekult.
The first trailer reflects this shift. Trains filled with children and civilians leave the metro under the guard of the Novoreich soldiers, a fascist regime that has subjugated almost all other factions. In a classroom, faceless students recite “Our enemy has no mercy for us” while drawing massacred families, while the Kremlin is reduced to ashes by a nuclear explosion.
In the center, the “Stranger,” a former Ranger Spartan broken, tries to save these children but fails under the influence of the Sombres, who manipulate his memory. The 4A Engine and its ray tracing enhance the suffocation of the tunnels, while the illuminated propaganda rooms showcase the power of Novoreich and its leader, Hunter.
Regarding the game, Metro 2039 returns to the Moscow metro with a single-player FPS focused on survival, infiltration, and horror, with scarce resources and hostile stations. Published by Deep Silver, the title is planned for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S for winter 2026, with a release that could be pushed to early 2027.
This direction sparks debates among players who demand “no politics in my games.” However, Metro has always been political, and 2039 embraces this more than ever.
[Context: Metro 2039 is a highly anticipated video game known for its dark and political themes, influenced by real-world events like the war in Ukraine.]
[Fact Check: Metro 2039 is not set to release in 2026 as mentioned in the article. The release date may differ in reality.]
