Metro 2039 executive producer says the game brings back the 'spookiness' of the claustrophobic metro tunnels from the first games while also offering
open world zones: 'We didn't want to ditch everything that we did in Metro Exodus'

Date:
Wed, 26 Aug 2026 07:30:00 +0000

Description:
Metro 2039 executive producer Jon Bloch has explained how 4A Games has balanced the return of claustrophic metro tunnels and open-world zones.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter Metro 2039 will feature the return of the claustrophobic metro tunnels Executive producer Jon Bloch says the game "goes back to the roots" of the series However, the team didn't want to "ditch everything that we did in Metro Exodus, " and the game will still offer open-world zones Metro 2039 executive producer Jon Bloch has explained how 4A Games has balanced the return of claustrophic metro tunnels and open-world zones.

In an interview with TechRadar Gaming, Bloch explained that it was a priority to bring back the tunnels, which were mostly absent from the previous game, Metro Exodus , since most of the experience takes place above ground. " Metro 2039 goes back to the roots," he said, "and brings back a lot of that deep, dark, claustrophobic, thick atmosphere tunnels, like the spookiness, all that stuff that we love from those first two games." Latest Videos From TechRadar Watch full video here:

Bloch continued, saying, "We didn't want to ditch everything that we did in Metro Exodus that was great and all the things that we learned. So there are different elements throughout the game.

"This game is a story-driven game. It's like we've said before, it's a very personal story. He's [The Stranger] on a singular mission, and in order to tell that kind of story, we're able to actually utilize a lot of the design methodologies from the earlier games. And in order to really make sure that the story is compelling, it's immersive." You may like 'The entire audio system has been rebuilt' Metro 2039 executive producer says sound has been 'reimagined in a way to really support thick, dense atmosphere' 'There is a liar in these tunnels' Metro 2039 gets new action-packed trailer, teasing first-person stealth-action gameplay, a new stealth weapon, and a February 2027 release window Metro 2039 creative director shares how the
Russia-Ukraine war has affected the game, says there are 'no gray zones' in the story and 'we are not afraid to call evil evil'

Creative director Andriy Shevchenko added that the games are all in the same universe and the team took "the best parts" from each for Metro 2039 , explaining that players will feel "freedom" and the danger from the
open-world zones.

"Every step forward, the farther away you are from your station or from your safe place, the more dangerous it's supposed to be," Shevchenko said. "But as John mentioned, we are a story-driven game, and to drive story without bottlenecks or our pure metro corridors is almost impossible." Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

The developer reiterated that it's impossible to translate that sense of danger in just an open world, saying, "That's one of the reasons we're
getting back to our dark underground roots."

Metro 2039 arrives in February 2027 for PS5 , Xbox Series X , Xbox Series S
, and PC. The developers have also confirmed that the team has prioritized optimization across all platforms, not just PC. Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button! The best gaming consoles All the best consoles of this generation

Read our full guide to the best gaming consoles 1. Best overall: PlayStation 5 Slim 2. Best budget: Xbox Series S 3. Best handheld: Nintendo Switch 2 4. Most powerful: PlayStation 5 Pro



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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/gaming/metro-2039-executive-producer-says-the-game-b rings-back-the-spookiness-of-the-claustrophobic-metro-tunnels-while-offering-o pen-world-zones-we-didnt-want-to-ditch-everything-that-we-did-in-metro-exodus


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