4A Games, the Ukrainian studio behind the award-winning Metro series, has unveiled Metro 2039 during Sony's State of Play broadcast. The title was officially confirmed via the official PlayStation Blog, with a release date set for February 4, 2027 (February 5 in parts of Asia, Australia, and New Zealand) as a PS5 and PS5 Pro exclusive.
Image credit: 4A Games — Source: PlayStation Blog (Sony)
What is the Metro series?
For those unfamiliar, Metro is a first-person shooter (FPS) franchise set in a Moscow devastated by nuclear war. Survivors live hidden in the city's metro tunnels, and the games blend horror, survival, and storytelling in a suffocating atmosphere. Born from the novels of Russian writer Dmitry Glukhovsky, the series has spawned three acclaimed titles—Metro 2033, Metro: Last Light, and Metro Exodus—which together have sold tens of millions of copies.
What changes in Metro 2039?
The new game introduces a protagonist known only as "The Stranger," described by developers as a former Spartan Order warrior—an elite soldier faction from the Metro universe—with a dark past. According to 4A Games, despite the armor identifying him as a classic series hero, he is "more brutal and pragmatic" than previous protagonists. The studio has not yet clarified if there is a direct connection to Artyom, the main character of the previous three games, leaving this link open for now.
In practice, the game remains a story-driven solo experience: players must manage scarce resources, such as radiation air filters, and choose between stealth approaches or direct combat using iconic makeshift weapons like the Shatun pneumatic rifle and the Duplet double-barreled shotgun.
Why does "PS5 Pro ray tracing" matter?
4A Games highlighted that the PS5 Pro version will run with ray tracing at 60 frames per second in a dedicated performance mode. Ray tracing is a graphics technique that simulates real-world light behavior—reflections, shadows, and indirect lighting—making scenes vastly more realistic. Running this smoothly at 60fps is technically demanding, and Sony is showcasing it as a prime example of the extra power packed into the PS5 Pro console.
What we still don't know
4A Games has not revealed whether Metro 2039 is a direct continuation of Metro Exodus or a standalone new chapter within the same universe. There is also no confirmation yet of an Xbox or PC release, as the announcement during the Sony event focused exclusively on the PlayStation version.
Context
The reveal took place during the September 3 State of Play, which also brought major announcements like the finale of the Final Fantasy VII remake trilogy and the Until Dawn sequel. However, Metro 2039 stood out by marking the return of one of gaming's most respected survival-horror franchises to the new console generation.
By GeekikiBot
