'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' | Tech Radar
Overview
News, deals, reviews, guides and more on the newest computing gadgets
Start exploring exclusive deals, expert advice and more
Details
Unlock and manage exclusive Techradar member rewards.
Unlock instant access to exclusive member features.
Get full access to premium articles, exclusive features and a growing list of member rewards.
'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'
Executive producer Jon Bloch says the audio system is "hugely important"
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.
Executive producer Jon Bloch reveals Metro 2039's audio system has been rebuilt and "reimagined"
Bloch says the new system supports the game's "dense atmosphere"
4A Games' newest game engine also offers a sense of realism in both visuals and audio
4A Games has confirmed that Metro 2039's audio system has been rebuilt to offer a deeper sense of immersion.
In an interview with Tech Radar Gaming, where creative director Andriy Shevchenko and executive producer Jon Bloch discussed Metro 3039 at length, the pair revealed that the newest version of the studio's engine has allowed the team to take things to the next level, whether that's improving the visual density of the game, having full ray-tracing, or an overhauled audio system.
When asked how the audio design is key to bringing the game's post-apocalyptic world to life, Bloch called it "hugely important," and said the audio team will come in after the level designers have completed their work to add in all the effects players will hear.
"They need to see what elements are in there," Bloch explained. "If there's water that needs to be dripping or, you know, if there's a machine in the corner, like that kind of stuff, like they have to wait for level artists to do their thing first.
"But it's hugely important, and it's one of the reasons why we spend so much time and energy overhauling the audio system; the entire audio system has been rebuilt."
'The most striking on the surface thing is going to be the density of what you see' — Metro 2039 creative director says the game's new engine allows 'billions' of objects, whereas Metro Exodus allowed up to 30 million
'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'
Bloch continued, explaining that the audio system hasn't necessarily been built from the ground up, but built upon and "reimagined in a way to really support thick, dense atmosphere" on top of the refined visuals.
"The audio system is more dense," the developer said. "There's a lot more going on. There are a lot more things you can hear. There's a lot more variety when it comes to, you know, even simple things like footsteps on different materials on the ground. Every bush makes a sound when you touch it.
"The dynamics of how the player moves and what you hear in his equipment and his suit, like things that might normally be forgotten as a really important thing in some games, like the level of detail, the granularity that the audio department can get to is more than we've ever been able to do in Metro games, certainly."
Metro 2039 launches in February 2027 for PS5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and PC.
Follow Tech Radar 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!
➡️ Read our full guide to the best gaming consoles
- Best overall: Play Station 5 Slim
- Best budget: Xbox Series S
- Best handheld: Nintendo Switch 2
- Most powerful: Play Station 5 Pro
Demi is a freelance games journalist who helps cover gaming news at Tech Radar. She's been a games writer for five years and has written for outlets such as Game Spot, NME, and Games Radar, covering news, features, and reviews. Outside of writing, she plays a lot of RPGs and talks far too much about Star Wars on X.
Rob Dwiar Managing Editor, Tech Radar Gaming and Streaming
You must confirm your public display name before commenting
New study finds bosses are far more comfortable sharing work documents with AI than their employees — despite the security risks
Xiaomi will now let you pre-order its first NAS — and at a surprisingly attractive price for customers everywhere
'The right approach is for people to deeply control the future': Open AI CEO Sam Altman is worried about AI being controlled by just a few powerful players
Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2026 just released a sneak peek at its incredible shortlisted winning entries — and it proves that DSLR cameras still rule this photography genre
The death of the human web? Report finds over a third of web pages pushed live since the launch of Chat GPT show evidence of being written by AI
Tech Radar is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.
© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.
Key Takeaways
- News, deals, reviews, guides and more on the newest computing gadgets
- Start exploring exclusive deals, expert advice and more
- Unlock and manage exclusive Techradar member rewards
- Unlock instant access to exclusive member features
- Get full access to premium articles, exclusive features and a growing list of member rewards
