Metro 2039 release date, gameplay details and what to expect

We think the pipes might be singing, as 4A games has revealed the fourth instalment of its long running post-apocolypse train hovel simulator, and as such, we’ve got everything you need to know about the Metro 2039 release date, gameplay details, pre-orders and what to expect!

Much like Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl from developers GSC Game World, the development of Metro 2039 has been impacted by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, with the real-world events shaping the story of the new title.

As such, it’s an incredible feat alone that Metro 2039 exists at all. Fortunately, 4A also has offices in Malta as well as Kiev, allowing development to continue whilst those in Ukraine were affected by the war.

But for all things Metro 2039, read on!

When is the Metro 2039 release date?

The Metro 2039 release date is Winter 2026 according to developers 4A Games.

This was announced alongside the reveal of the game, but the date raised a few eyebrows, as it’s coming hot off the heels of the most anticipated game of all time, Grand Theft Auto 6, which comes out in November.

We wouldn’t be surprised to see Metro 2039 be pushed back if the world is entirely consumed by GTA 6, even just by a month or so to give the game a bit more breathing room.

On the other hand, Metro 2039 will be coming to PC, whereas GTA 6 won’t, not for a little while at least, but such is the draw of GTA 6 that many PC players might opt to play it on consoles first.

Can I pre-order Metro 2039?

No, Metro 2029 is not currently available for pre-order.

You can wishlist the game on Steam, the Microsoft Store and the PlayStation Store, so that you can be notified the moment it is available.

There is no word yet on any sort of deluxe or collector’s editions. Prior entries in the series have had very involved and cool collector’s editions, so you’ll definitely want to keep your eyes peeled for these.

Once more information comes out, we will update you as soon as possible!

Which consoles and platforms can play Metro 2039?

Metro 2039 can be played on PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S.

On PC, it can be purchased on Steam or the Epic Games Store, but no mention has been made of GOG, suggesting the game may ship with DRM at launch.

Looking at the visuals, it’s hard to say if a Nintendo Switch 2 port would be possible. 4A Games have always pushed graphics quite hard, and whilst the Nintendo Switch 2 is capable of ray-tracing, as evidenced by Star Wars Outlaws, Metro 2039 could prove a bridge too far, or incorporate features that would stretch the Switch 2 CPU beyond reasonable performance.

If an announcement is made, we will eat our hats and update this page accordingly.

Metro 2039 gameplay and story details

Metro 2039 returns to the eponymous Moscow metro system and appears to be a more linear experience like Metro 2033 and Metro Last Light, as opposed to the more open-ended Metro Exodus.

An authoritarian regime, the Novoreich, has taken control of subterranean Moscow, led by a Spartan prior protagonist, Artyom crossed paths with, Hunter.

Players take control of the Stranger, who is “haunted by violent waking nightmares”, according to the official Metro 2039 page, and when “ghosts of his past force him out of exile, he must undertake a harrowing journey into the shattered ruins of Moscow to the one place he swore he’d never go. The Metro".

The trailer above gives an overview of the themes and the conditions Ukrainian developers 4A Games worked under to create the game.

Is there a Metro 2039 trailer?

Yes, there is a Metro 2039 Gameplay Teaser trailer.

This features the snippet of gameplay found in the reveal trailer linked above, and features the Stranger navigating an old Metro stop close to the surface before a couple of mutants descend on him.

The Stranger retreats down the escalators before getting into a struggle with one of the mutants, which he dispatches with a knife to the neck, before being dragged into the relative safety of the Metro.

The graphics look phenomenal, and it’s great to see a return to the dingy and oppressive post-apocalyptic metro system, as much fun as we had gallivanting around in Exodus.

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