Update: A timeline on the Metro 2035 site no longer points to a 2017 launch for the next post-apocalyptic videogame instalment. Publisher Deep Silver has issued a statement which appears to rule out release next year entirely.

While said schedule originally spoke of "The next Metro video game" under the heading '2017' (see below), the final marker is now captioned with a question mark and "An untitled Metro project". These feature alongside an amended description which now reads:

"But the Metro saga doesn’t end where the books leave us… An era of great discoveries lies ahead!"

Furthermore, taking to its official Facebook page, publisher Deep Silver released the following post earlier today:

"You may have noticed some sites have reported that a new Metro game would be released in 2017. Deep Silver has released the following statement...

"As the exclusive rights holder to videogames 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.

"When we have more news to share, we will.

"Thank you for your patience."

Original story:

4A Games may be hard at work on the VR-exclusive Arktika.1, however it seems the Metro series developer hasn't forgotten its nuclear war-ravaged Russian roots. According to a timeline on the Metro website, the next, and possibly final, game in the post-apocalyptic series is scheduled for launch next year.

Those of you who've followed the series will likely know both Metro 2033 and Last Light are spin-offs of the original collection of books—the third and final entry of which released last year, and whose English language version is due December 10. The book's site offers a timeline covering both novels and games, where the last heading, marked 2017 and headed 'The next Metro video game', reads:

"It all adds up to something. Where the books end their story, the game will pick it up. An era of great discoveries lies ahead…The next Metro video game."

When 4A announced Arktika.1, creative director Andriy Prokohrov noted it was "one of TWO projects in development right now," before adding, "We’re not ready to talk about the other project just yet, but we think you’ll like it. So please be patient!"

Assuming the book site's timeline is correct, that patience could be relative. In his most recent Now Playing, Andy admired Metro's interpretation of the Moscow underground.

We've reached out to 4A Games for comment and will update as and when we hear back.