Metro 2033 celebrated its fifteenth anniversary this month, with a blog post from 4A Games reflecting on the success of the FPS horror series and teasing the upcoming installment. The elusive Metro 4 made headlines last January during the unveiling of the VR game Metro Awakening, following a 2023 blog post that delved into the studio’s challenges during the Russian invasion.
“Despite the ongoing missile strikes, air-raid sirens, and turmoil in Ukraine, we want to assure you that work on both of our projects is progressing,” the latest blog post reassures. “While the situation remains precarious and beyond our control, we are doing our best to stay safe. The next Metro title will be unveiled when it’s ready, and we can’t wait to share it with you.”
The 2022 invasion of Ukraine profoundly influenced the narrative direction of the upcoming Metro game, as 4A Games explains. “The real-life experiences of our developers in Ukraine have inspired a darker storyline, amplifying the existing themes of conflict, power struggles, tyranny, and freedom. Working amidst wartime conditions has inevitably shaped our game development process.”
The Metro series, set in the underground tunnels of Moscow post-global nuclear war, originated from a novel by Dmitry Glukhovsky. Originally published online when Glukhovsky was just eighteen, the novel was later released in print in 2005. Glukhovsky, who hails from Moscow, is currently residing abroad following a court order for his arrest in absentia due to his public criticism of Russia’s invasion.
“Metro has always been known for its poignant, political, anti-war, and emotional narrative,” 4A Games affirms. “Rest assured, these themes will continue to be a central focus in collaboration with franchise creator Dmitry Glukhovsky.”
