The developers at 4A Games, creators of the Metro series, have found that the ongoing war in Ukraine has significantly altered their perspective on writing morality for their games. The franchise, known for exploring the grim realities of a post-apocalyptic world, now grapples with themes that have become uncomfortably close to reality for the studio, which was founded in Ukraine.
Executive producer Jon Bloch explained in an interview with Eurogamer that previous Metro games focused on preventing war and understanding the cycle of conflict. However, with the full-scale invasion of Ukraine bringing war directly to their doorstep, the team's lived experience has necessitated a shift. "Our team has been living in a state of war for the last four and a half years. And that changes things. Significantly," Bloch stated.
This profound experience has led to a reevaluation of how the studio approaches moral ambiguity in its narratives. Historically, the Metro games have delved into shades of grey, portraying a world where survival dictates difficult choices and where "everyone is the hero of their own story" due to scarcity. Facing the stark realities of real-world conflict and authoritarian aggression, this nuanced approach has become less tenable. "In a situation like this, as the story explores what authoritarian regimes do, and what happens when one takes over, and what happens as they grow and take more and more power… there is nothing good about that. There is only evil involved in that," Bloch elaborated.
As a result, the moral landscape in their storytelling needs to be more defined and clear. Co-creative director Pawel Ulmer added that the game now aims to highlight the consequences of war, offering a stark contrast to the real world's potential to avert such outcomes. "We have this chance to show people what can actually happen if the world would stop working on preventing war. And ironically, we're making [a game] in a world which is already dead! But our world - the real world—still has a chance," Ulmer said.
Ulmer also noted that the franchise has always been political, touching upon the "cult of war, the propaganda, people dying, and the cost of others' ambitions." However, the proximity of these themes to current events has made the franchise's nature "getting too close to reality," as he put it. The developers' commitment to weaving their experiences into their art is highlighted by the fact that such studios continue their work amidst dire circumstances, underscoring the vital role of games in reflecting and processing complex global events.