4A Games Reveals Next Metro Game Will Be the Darkest Ever

4A Games has revealed that the upcoming installment in the series will be significantly darker. The game’s developer told the news in a new blog post celebrating the 15th anniversary of the Metro franchise.

The studio stated that the full-scale Russian invasion in 2022 changed how they envisioned the next chapter of Metro, “As art became life for many of our developers in Ukraine, we drew from that lived experience to create an even darker story.”

The studio emphasized that themes of conflict, tyranny, and the price of freedom, core to Metro’s identity, have taken on new weight amid the ongoing war.

This shift in tone reflects a deeply personal connection to the events unfolding in the company’s Ukrainian origin and the fact that 150 employees of a 200+ development team are based in Kyiv.

The game will continue to explore anti-war themes, with 4A’s collaboration with Metro creator Dmitry Glukhovsky remaining as the creator of the central part of the narrative. 

In addition to this darker tone, 4A Games confirmed that, while progress is being made on the next Metro, fans will have to be patient as circumstances have made development challenging. “We want to manage your expectations around the reveal of the next Metro title, it will be ready when it’s ready,” the studio stated

Today, 4A Games boasts a staff of over 200, with operations in both Ukraine and Malta, and the studio is also working on an unannounced AAA IP in addition to the Metro project.

The studio also expressed gratitude for the support of its dedicated fanbase, “Thank you for your words of support, your patience and your excitement over what is to come.”

As of February 2024, the Metro video game series has sold over 16.2 million copies worldwide, with the latest installment, Metro Exodus (2019), being the most successful as it reached 10 million copies sold by February 2024.