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The Novoreich is the regime that rules almost the entire Moscow Metro in Metro 2039, led by its Fuhrer, the former Spartan Hunter, and held together by propaganda, misinformation and fear. It echoes the Fourth Reich, the Nazi faction of Metro 2033 and Metro: Last Light, but the makers have not said how the two are connected.
The Novoreich is the villainous regime of Metro 2039: the Metro's factions and station communities united under one banner and led by a new Fuhrer, the legendary Spartan Hunter. It promises a better life on the surface but rules by propaganda, misinformation and fear, and wages a new war for the surface against a "dark and terrifying enemy". For the first time in the Metro universe, "almost the entire metro is united under one banner," said creative director Andriy Shevchenko. Its name recalls the Fourth Reich of the earlier games, the Nazi faction of Metro 2033 and Metro: Last Light, though the makers have not said whether one grew from the other. Metro 2039 is out Feb 4, 2027; what follows is from the makers, the trailers and previews of a pre-release build. The clip is GameSpot's Aug 2026 preview.
Quick facts
| Game | Metro 2039 |
| Leader | Hunter, the Fuhrer |
| Rules | Almost the entire Moscow Metro, as of 2039 |
| Methods | Propaganda, misinformation, fear |
| Creed | "If it's hostile, you kill it" |
| Allies | Raiders (mercenaries), Agitators, the bandit leader Kaban |
| Holdout | Sevastopolskaya, an independent station |
| Spelling | Novoreich (Deep Silver, 4A); press also writes NovoReich and Novo Reich |
Sources: Deep Silver; 4A Games, Apr 16, 2026; Deep Silver, Aug 25, 2026; Xbox Wire, Aug 26, 2026.
What is the Novoreich in Metro 2039?
A single state where the Metro used to be a patchwork of rival stations. Before 2039 the tunnels were besieged station-cities fighting each other and the mutants; in 2039 the survivors "have been united by a single leader", Hunter, whose regime is preparing a war for the surface. 4A sums up its attitude with Hunter's old Ranger creed, "if it's hostile, you kill it". Xbox Wire calls Hunter the fascist dictator who has taken over the Metro. The enemy it says it is fighting, the "dark and terrifying enemy" of Deep Silver's description, is not named; in a training video in the preview build Hunter calls the Dark Ones an enemy to be destroyed.
Propaganda and fear
Propaganda is the regime's main tool and one of the game's subjects. Hunter's image dominates the Metro through crumbling posters, flickering propaganda and towering statues, and his uniform is a decorated Novoreich version of Spartan armor. The Fuhrer's mantra in the Renegade trailer is "The enemy must be destroyed.", and people live believing his false promises. Overheard conversations show what people believe and where they got it, executive producer Jon Bloch says. 4A's themes for the game are "The Cost of Silence, The Horrors of Tyranny, and the Price of Freedom." The studio ties them to the Russian invasion of Ukraine it works through (see Metro 2039 and the War in Ukraine).
Raiders, Agitators and Kaban
The regime's reach shows in its helpers. At Sevastopolskaya the outside threat is mercenary Raiders in the pocket of the Novoreich, while inside the station agitators, propaganda and alcohol undermine its stability. Xbox Wire's preview named the bandit leader Kaban as a known henchman of Hunter, whose group holds bases in the tunnels and on the surface; he did not appear in the demo. At the Sep 3, 2026 State of Play the Stranger searched for a Novoreich fortress inside a dam on the surface. In the clip jackfrags, who played the pre-release build, describes the station chief's problem with the Novoreich and Kaban's gang being paid by it.
A clear enemy
The earlier games kept their factions morally gray; Metro 2039 does not. "We wanted to make sure that the morality was clear in Metro 2039," Bloch said, set against the moral grayness of the previous games. Shevchenko on why Hunter leads it: "that ideology is core here", to which Bloch added "and what that ideology can turn into". GamesRadar+'s reveal story summed up the premise in its headline as taking on "tunnel Nazis".
The Fourth Reich in the earlier games
Nazis have been in the Metro since the first game. Metro 2033 pits remnants of Communists and Nazis warring for territory against each other, and Game Informer lists the Fourth Reich among the Metro's underground factions. In Metro: Last Light the Nazis believe in genetic purity while the communist Reds want to impose their own order, and their rivalry threatens war; one of its chapters is named REICH in the Metro: Last Light Redux achievements, and its Faction Pack DLC let players fight as a Fourth Reich specialist. Metro Exodus, which left Moscow, barely mentions the Red Army and the Fourth Reich. The rest of the Metro's powers are on Metro Factions. The clip is Gaming Harry's retelling of the series' lore.
Is the Novoreich the Fourth Reich?
Not by anything the makers have said as of Nov 3, 2026. The Fourth Reich was one faction among many; the Novoreich unites almost the whole Metro under a Spartan rather than a Nazi commander. Whether the old Reich's people or stations are part of it is not stated.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Novoreich in Metro 2039? The Novoreich is the regime led by the Fuhrer Hunter that unites almost the entire Moscow Metro in Metro 2039, ruling by propaganda, misinformation and fear.
Who leads the Novoreich? Hunter, the first Spartan from Metro 2033, leads the Novoreich as its Fuhrer in Metro 2039.
Is the Novoreich the Fourth Reich from Metro 2033? The makers have not said so as of Nov 3, 2026. The Novoreich's name recalls the Nazi Fourth Reich of Metro 2033 and Metro: Last Light, but it unites almost every station of the Metro.
Who are the villains of Metro 2039? The Novoreich and its Fuhrer, Hunter, with its mercenary Raiders, Agitators and the bandit leader Kaban, plus mutants and the Dark Ones.
How do you spell Novoreich? 4A Games and Deep Silver write "Novoreich", one word; some press writes NovoReich or Novo Reich.
Sources
- METRO 2039, Deep Silver, undated
- Metro 2033 Redux, Deep Silver, undated
- Hunter Gameplay Trailer: There is a liar in these tunnels, Deep Silver, Jun 7, 2026
- ONL Gameplay Trailer: You've come to the wrong place, Stranger, Deep Silver, Aug 25, 2026
- METRO 2039 - A Letter To Our Community, 4A Games, Apr 16, 2026
- Metro 2039 launches February 4, 2027, PS5 Pro gameplay revealed, PlayStation Blog, Sep 3, 2026
- METRO 2039 Isn't Kidding Around, Xbox Wire, Aug 26, 2026
- Metro 2039 takes on tunnel Nazis in a story shaped by the Ukraine war, GamesRadar+, Apr 16, 2026
- Metro 2039 is a "journey back into Hell", GamesRadar+, Aug 27, 2026
- Metro 2039 abandons the "moral grayness" from previous games, GamesRadar+, Aug 29, 2026
- Metro 2033 Review: A Dreary Subway Ride Well Worth Taking, Game Informer, Mar 16, 2010
- Metro Is Gaming's Most Interesting Post-Apocalypse, Game Informer, Feb 17, 2019
- Metro: Last Light review, Digital Trends, Apr 24, 2023
- Metro Exodus review, Digital Trends, Apr 25, 2023
- Metro: Last Light gets Faction Pack DLC July 16, Polygon, Jul 10, 2013
- METRO Last Light Redux achievements, Steam Community, Nov 3, 2026
- Metro 2039 Might Be Peak Metro | Hands-On Preview Impressions, GameSpot, Aug 26, 2026 (video)
- I Spent 20 Hours in Metro 2039 - Hands on Preview, ACG, Aug 26, 2026 (video)
- Metro 2039 Gameplay and Impressions..., jackfrags, Aug 26, 2026 (video)
- METRO 2039 developers reveal new combat details, why the game had to change and more, FGS, Sep 23, 2026 (video)
- The ENTIRE Metro Story... So Far..., Gaming Harry, May 14, 2022 (video)
Moments
Metro 2039 Might Be Peak Metro | Hands-On Preview Impressions
GameSpot
I Spent 20 Hours in Metro 2039 - Hands on Preview
ACG
Metro 2039 Gameplay and Impressions...
jackfrags
METRO 2039 developers reveal new combat details, why the game had to change and more
FGS
The ENTIRE Metro Story... So Far...
Gaming Harry
Related
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The AuroraThe Aurora is the armored steam locomotive of Metro Exodus, the moving base on which Artyom, Anna, Colonel Miller and the Spartans cross Russia for a year after leaving Moscow. It has not appeared in Metro 2039 as of Nov 3, 2026.
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The Spartan OrderThe Spartan Order is the Metro series' elite brotherhood of Rangers, who protect the Metro's people under Colonel Miller and leave Moscow with Artyom in Metro Exodus. In Metro 2039 its first Spartan, Hunter, rules the Metro as Fuhrer, and the hero, the Stranger, is a former Spartan.
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AnnaAnna is Colonel Miller's daughter, the Spartan Order's best sniper, met in Metro: Last Light and married to Artyom by Metro Exodus. She has not been shown or announced for Metro 2039 as of Nov 3, 2026.
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ArtyomArtyom is the hero of the Metro novels and of Metro 2033, Metro: Last Light and Metro Exodus, a young man of VDNKh station who becomes a Spartan Ranger. He is not the protagonist of Metro 2039, and no return has been announced as of Nov 3, 2026.
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Colonel MillerColonel Miller is the commander of the Spartan Order in Metro: Last Light and Metro Exodus, Anna's father and Artyom's father-in-law, who loses his legs at D6 and commands the Aurora. He stars in The Two Colonels; Metro 2039 has not shown him as of Nov 3, 2026.
See also
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HunterHunter is the Spartan Ranger of Metro 2033 whose creed is "If it's hostile, you kill it", missing from the games after it and back in Metro 2039 as the Fuhrer of the Novoreich, the regime that rules almost the entire Moscow Metro. In the novel Metro 2034 he turns up at Sevastopol station a year after Metro 2033.
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Metro 2033Metro 2033 is 4A Games' first Metro game, a story-driven shooter published by THQ on Mar 16, 2010 for Xbox 360 and PC, in which Artyom crosses the Moscow Metro to save his home station from the Dark Ones. Its remake, Metro 2033 Redux, is the version sold today.
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Metro: Last LightMetro: Last Light is 4A Games' 2013 sequel to Metro 2033, published by Deep Silver after THQ's bankruptcy, in which Artyom, now a Spartan, hunts the last Dark One while the Metro's factions fight over the D6 bunker. It had four DLC packs and two endings, and its remake is Metro: Last Light Redux.
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SevastopolskayaSevastopolskaya is the independent Moscow Metro station that serves as the Stranger's base in Metro 2039, one of the biggest surviving colonies and under threat of a Novoreich takeover. In Dmitry Glukhovsky's novel Metro 2034 it is Sevastopol station, cut off from the rest of the Metro, where Hunter appears.
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The Dark OnesThe Dark Ones are the mind-invading beings from Moscow's surface in the Metro novel and games, the threat of Metro 2033 and the hidden saviors of Metro: Last Light, who told Artyom they would return. They return in Metro 2039, where Hunter calls them an enemy to be destroyed.