Studio 4A Games has opened the veil of mystery over Metro 2039, the next installment in the post—apocalyptic franchise that fans have been waiting for for seven long years. The journalists allowed to access the early materials were given to understand that there would be no easy walk through the tunnels. At all. The developers deliberately twisted the regulator of the oppressive atmosphere to the limit, turning survival underground into a ruthless horror.
Claustrophobia, the eternal shortage of ammunition and the feeling that death is breathing down your neck — all this promises to reach a fundamentally different level. And it’s not just about the game design.
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The atmosphere of Metro 2039 and the trace of the war in Ukraine
The war in Ukraine has left a deep scar on the creative vision of the team. What the developers experience in everyday life is directly translated into the game code. The atmosphere of Metro 2039 has become much heavier and more hopeless — the authors do not try to entertain for the sake of entertainment. This is a mature, adult statement about a man trapped in the grip of unbearable circumstances.
By the way, the technical base matches the mood. The updated 4A Engine produces a picture with extreme detail of chiaroscuro. And it’s not just beautiful graphics. Lighting is now directly tied to the mechanics of stealth: frozen in pitch darkness — survived, hit the enemy’s flashlight beam — write is gone.
The plot of Metro 2039: Hope and moral dilemmas
Despite the utter darkness around, the plot core is based on humanity. 4A Games focuses on complex moral dilemmas and consequences that will take a long time to come back to the player. The story promises to revolve around the ability to keep your mind and remain human when the world around you has finally gone crazy.
There is no official release date yet, but the project already looks like a potential event of the year for the entire industry. Veterans of the series can prepare for a tough return to the roots of the survival horror genre.
Metro 2039 fans reaction to the new hero
The announcement attracted widespread attention, and the reaction turned out to be predictably polar. Some hardcore fans reacted with hostility to the news — the reason was the radical rejection of the usual protagonist Artyom. The developers decided to bring a new character to the fore, which was a cold shower for many.
However, the complete disappearance of the Russian language from the game has become a much more pressing issue for the Russian-speaking community. According to preliminary data, localization will be limited to English and Ukrainian. This moment caused heated discussions in the relevant communities — Metro has always been associated with the post-Soviet flavor and native speech in tunnels.
Metro 2039 Steam page: English only
The “Metro 2039” page appeared on Steam almost immediately after the presentation on Xbox First Look — and immediately caused a wave of disturbing discussions. The reason is trivial, but no less painful. Only English is listed in the supported languages column. The voice acting, interface, and subtitles are all strictly in Shakespeare’s language.
Opposite the Russian language is a dry “Not supported”.
Yes, so far there are no other world languages on the list at all. But the absence of even a translated description of the Steam page is a rather eloquent gesture. The miracle, apparently, will not happen. The game risks being left without official localization in any form.
Why won’t there be a Russian language in Metro 2039
The situation with Steam has only reinforced the suspicions that have been accumulating over the past few days. The first signal came from the official website of Metro 2039 — the Russian language was simply not on the list of localizations. Then Dmitry Glukhovsky added fuel to the fire. The creator of the book universe evaded a direct answer on the air and refused to confirm the existence of the usual translation.
For the community, it sounded like a verdict. Metro has always been associated with post-Soviet aesthetics and native speech coming from speakers in tunnels. To lose that is like losing a part of the franchise’s soul.
Metro 2039’s supported languages at release
Metro 2039’s localization is still unclear. But even the scraps of information are enough to sketch out a working plan. The Steam product page has a single checkmark: English: interface, subtitles, voiceover, everything in Shakespeare’s language. The studio confirmed the Ukrainian version with a separate statement. This is understandable: the project is being managed by 4A Games Malta in collaboration with Kyiv-based Reburn.
The website metro2039.com hints at a much wider palette. The newsletter subscription form lists eleven languages: English, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Polish, Brazilian Portuguese, Japanese, Korean, plus both Chinese – simplified and traditional. Deep Silver’s classic marketing package: EFIGS, Asian markets, plus Eastern Europe. The logic is clear. If a language is featured in the newsletter, it usually gets at least some text in the game.
Localization & Language Support
Metro 2039 Localization Updates After Release
Post-patches with language packs for Deep Silver and its parent company, Embracer Group, are routine, not groundbreaking. There’s already a direct precedent for this in the franchise itself. Metro Awakening for VR launched without Russian, and subtitles arrived in a separate update later. Voiceovers were never added, but the text became readable. Technically, the same maneuver is possible with 2039: the 4A Engine can adapt language packs on the fly.
This isn’t a technical issue. It’s a political one. Dmitry Glukhovsky, live on Republic, cited an NDA from the Swedish publisher and dropped the key phrase: “everything is in Embracer’s hands.” The meaning is simple. The decision is made in Stockholm, not at the studio, and there is currently no public roadmap for Russian, either before or after release. A realistic window for a possible update is the first 3-6 months after the winter 2026-2027 release. This is the typical timeframe for publishers to add missing localizations for regional sales. Currently, this window only includes enhancements to EFIGS and Asian locales. Russian is not included in the plan.
Popular Metro 2039 russifiers will save the situation
However, it’s too early to despair. Even in the most pessimistic scenario, Russian gamers know the recipe for salvation. History teaches us that text russifiers from enthusiasts appear with cosmic speed. Sometimes — literally in the first hours after the release.
The release itself is scheduled for the winter of 2026. The craftsmen have plenty of time to prepare. There may not be an official localization. But Metro 2039 will definitely not remain without the Russian language.
