UPDATE 10/11/2016 12.49am: It turns out that while another Metro game is on the docket, it's not going to be out in 2017 as the book series' site foretold.

The game series' publisher Deep Silver offered the following statement on the Metro games' Facebook page:

"As the exclusive rights holder to video games set in the Metro 2033 universe, Deep Silver has ambitious plans for the hugely successful Metro series. But just to manage our fans' expectations - releasing the next Metro game in 2017 is not one of them," the publisher clarified.

"When we have more news to share, we will. Thank you for your patience."

ORIGINAL STORY 08/11/2016 10.39pm: Here's some lovely post-apocalyptic news for this most potentially apocalyptic of days: there's a new game in the Metro series due next year.

Metro 2035, the third entry in the book series, is due this December. The next game will be set after it.

The book series' official site, in promoting the upcoming entry Metro 2035, noted at the bottom of the series' chronology timeline, that "The next Metro video game" will appear in 2017.

"It all adds up to something. Where the books end their story, the game will pick it up," the site teased. "An era of great discoveries lies ahead..."

The game series' developer 4A Games recently announced the Oculus Rift-exclusive post-apocalyptic shooter Arkita.1, which looked quite Metro-like itself, set in a Soviet nuclear winter.

At the time 4A creative director Andriy "Prof" Prokhorovoctober released a statement noting that "Arktika.1 is one of two projects in development right now."

"It's not holding the other project up - with our new Malta studio we are a much bigger team, and it is better for us to have multiple projects, for our own independence and creativity," the developer wrote. "We're not ready to talk about the other project just yet, but we think you'll like it. So please be patient!"

With the new game tease it's all but certain this is what Prof was hinting at, but just to be sure we've posed the question to series' publisher Deep Silver. We'll update should we receive further intel.

In the meantime, the description of the third book, Metro 2035, offers a glimpse into what we could expect from its subsequent game:

"The final part of the trilogy takes us back to Artyom and his struggle to get the people back to the above world they once ruled. This is a standalone story that can be read independently from the previous books and games - yet for those who have been following Artyom from the very beginning, Metro 2035 crowns the saga in its own way. Characters of all the books and games meet here, their destinies intertwine, and everything you knew about the world of Metro is turned upside down..."

Thus far, the only part of this story that doesn't totally add up is that Metro 2035 is on the series' timeline for 2015, when the book isn't actually coming out until December 2016. So take the timeline with a grain of salt. Perhaps the game will likewise see a delay. But one way or another, a third entry is on the docket.

Both Metro 2033 and its sequel, Metro Last Light, were praised at the time of release. Digital Foundry was especially taken by their 2014 remastering, Metro Redux. "What's surprising is just how well these games hold up compared to modern day next-gen releases," we wrote of Metro Redux in our Digital Foundry analysis. "Combine the upgrades with the enticing price-point and it's a compelling proposition for both newcomers and console double-dippers."