During the Xbox Games Showcase 2026, developer 4A Games and publisher Deep Silver unveiled the first gameplay trailer and release date of METRO 2039. The new installment in the post-apocalyptic, story-driven first-person shooter franchise will launch in February 2027 on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series S and X, further filling an already busy month on the release schedule. The game was previously announced for "Winter", so, in theory, it should launch before February 21.
As implied by the title, the game is set in 2039, a quarter-century after nuclear war forced the survivors of Moscow underground into the Metro tunnels. The story centers on a new regime led by a fanatical Spartan named Hunter, whose Novoreich government rules through propaganda, fear, and a manufactured war against a surface enemy. The player takes control of The Stranger, a new protagonist, rather than Artyom. He's a reclusive former Metro resident haunted by violent waking nightmares. He is exiled in the wilderness beyond the city, but is forced back into the Metro and the ruins of Moscow when his past catches up with him.
After the semi-open world maps of METRO EXODUS, METRO 2039 returns to the series' trademark linear, atmospheric, tension-heavy design. Stealth remains a major part of the game’s identity, and the official materials highlight the franchise's familiar blend of stealth, violence, immersion, and horror. The developers also hinted at new dangers on both the surface and underground. The surface in particular is said to be deadlier than ever; it is thawing and irradiated.
4A Games is once again using its proprietary 4A Engine to build the game. The developers haven't gone into the technical features in depth, but given that METRO EXODUS was the first game to extensively adopt ray tracing with the Enhanced Edition, we should expect the same with this new entry.
About the author: With over two decades of experience in gaming journalism, Alessio Palumbo has led the gaming vertical at Wccftech since August 2015. He started working at a young age for Italian websites like Everyeye.it, Gamestar.it, Nextgame.it, and Multiplayer.it before kickstarting the indie English-language publication Worlds Factory as its founder and Editor in Chief. In the last decade, he has coordinated the overall output of Wccftech's gaming section, managed PR relations, assigned reviews, produced daily news coverage, edited gaming content as needed, and delivered game reviews. Arguably, his trademark content is the long series of exclusive developer interviews that have been cited by Wikipedia and by the biggest news media and gaming publications. His passion for technology also makes him knowledgeable when it comes to gaming hardware and tech. His favorite genres include RPGs, MMORPGs, and action/adventure games.
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