Microsoft sets April 16 Metro 2039 reveal, next game gets world premiere

Microsoft has put a hard date on the next Metro reveal, and the setup looks bigger than a quick teaser. Xbox First Look: Metro 2039 will stream on Thursday, April 16 as a digital-only world premiere with 4A Games and Deep Silver, putting one of Xbox’s longest-running shooter brands back in the spotlight.

For players deciding whether to clear their schedule, the timing is locked in: 10 a.m. Pacific, 1 p.m. Eastern, and 6 p.m. UK time. Xbox is hosting the presentation as a YouTube Premiere, and the stream will include accessibility options such as audio description and American Sign Language, along with subtitles in a long list of languages. That makes this feel like a coordinated platform moment, not just another trailer upload.

Metro 2039 also arrives with franchise weight. Xbox says it is the fourth mainline Metro game after Metro 2033 in 2010, Metro: Last Light in 2013, and Metro Exodus in 2019. The official Metro 2039 site calls it the next chapter of Metro, while Deep Silver is using the rollout to push newsletter sign-ups, reminders, and a chance to win a copy of the game.

That matters because the series already has a proven audience. Metro Exodus sold more than 10 million units worldwide by February 2024, giving the new project a commercial base that few post-apocalyptic shooters can match. 4A Games has also described Metro Exodus as continuing Artyom’s story, which means this next chapter is building on a narrative that has already carried the series across three mainline entries rather than starting from scratch.

The reveal also comes with deeper context around 4A Games itself. The studio was founded in Kyiv, later expanded to Malta, and the next Metro game has been in development for several years. Multiple outlets have reported that the project has been shaped by 4A’s experiences during the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine, a backdrop that gives the title added weight beyond its place in Xbox’s lineup.

For Microsoft, the message is clear: Metro 2039 is not being treated like a side announcement. By giving it a branded Xbox showcase, a world premiere slot, and full accessibility support, the company is signaling that Metro remains one of the major third-party franchises it still wants to own the conversation around.