'If we stuck with the silent protagonist method, we wouldn't be able to tell this story properly' — Metro 2039 executive producer says making The Stranger a speaking protagonist 'goes hand in hand with telling a personal story'

Metro 2039 will feature a speaking protagonist named The Stranger, according to executive producer Jon Bloch. Players will be able to understand the character's feelings about the unfolding events. Bloch explains that a silent protagonist would have prevented 4A Games from telling the story properly, as it wouldn't have allowed for a darker, more personal narrative.

The game's creative director, Andriy Shevchenko, and executive producer Bloch discussed the impact of the Russia-Ukraine war on the sequel, emphasizing that The Stranger's motivations drive the story. Unlike the previous Metro games, which featured a silent protagonist in Artyom, Metro 2039's The Stranger is fully voiced, enabling players to hear his thoughts throughout.

This change allowed 4A Games to delve deeper into the character's history, struggles, and singular motivation. Bloch emphasized that abandoning the silent protagonist method was essential to telling this particular story, stating, "If we stuck with the silent protagonist method, we wouldn't be able to tell this story properly." Metro 2039 is scheduled for release in February 2027 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and PC.