The protagonist is the Stranger
Metro 2039’s protagonist is the Stranger, not Artyom. Official text calls him a recluse plagued by violent nightmares. He wears Spartan gear marked with an M and a watch that, in the reveal trailer, sits at 20:39. He is also described as the first fully voiced lead in the series.
I paused the reveal trailer on the helmet and the watch rather than trusting a nickname thread. The M mark and the 20:39 face are visible. A legal name is not. Xbox Wire and other write-ups of the reveal talk about full voice acting as a tradeoff against the silent Artyom of earlier games. I am not assigning him a surname, a family tie to Artyom, or a Spartan rank beyond “former ranger” language that official copy has used.
Artyom is the previous protagonist
Artyom is the silent lead of Metro 2033, Last Light, and Exodus. Search interest in “are you playing as Artyom” is large because the box still says Metro. The new game’s answer, in the official synopsis, is a different man. Whether the Stranger met Artyom, or is related to him, is not in that synopsis.
| Detail | Status |
|---|---|
| Name used in marketing | The Stranger |
| Artyom | Not the player character |
| Legal name | Not published |
| Fully voiced | Described as a series first |
| Watch in the trailer | Stopped on 20:39 |
| Link to Artyom | Not published |
Questions
Is the Stranger Artyom under another name?
Official material presents them as different people. A secret identity has not been stated.
Why does the watch say 20:39?
That is the time shown on the prop in the reveal. It matches the title. It is not a release-hour announcement.
Does he speak Russian?
The game’s language list does not include Russian. See Russian language.
Sources
Last checked 2026-10-16.
Related
- Story — Novoreich and the year 2039.
- Play order — Where Artyom’s games sit.
- Em português — The same answer for the Brazilian Portuguese query.