Author of the Metro trilogy Dmitry Glukhovsky says that his novel-writing days are over, but that the story of Artyom could continue in "other media."

Dmitry Glukhovsky, author of the pen-and-paper Metro trilogy, recently suggested that a new game for the series may be in the works, which was followed by a cryptically reworded message on publisher Deep Silver's website, giving fans the impression that there just might be a possibility of the Metro saga continuing. This news comes after developer 4A Games teased a possible sequel a few months ago.

The author teased another possible Metro sequel during a Reddit AMA, adding fuel to the fire of fans clamoring to see the story of everyman-turned-Ranger Artyom continue in some capacity. However, beyond some rumors, nothing is definite except for the following statement, which was recently discovered on Deep Silver's Facebook page:

You may have noticed some sites have reported that a new Metro game would be released in 2017 ... 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. When we have more news to share, we will.

The statement dovetails with a statement on the company's website which first claimed a new game would come out in 2017. However, it now reads that "... the Metro saga doesn’t end where the books leave us ... An era of great discoveries lies ahead!"

Metro fans will just have to keep holding their breath a bit longer, it seems. During the AMA, Glukhovsky was clear on one thing: there will be no new books about subterranean Russians, but "this doesn't necessarily mean that Artyom's story can't continue in other media." This isn't a very strange statement, as the novels have always had an odd relationship with the games. Metro 2033 was based directly on the eponymous first book in the trilogy, but Last Light's story was entirely original. That Glukhovsky wrote another three novels nothing like the Metro books makes it likely that he sees the trilogy as the last printed word, at least.

Set in a post-apocalyptic future where what little is left of Moscow's population struggles for survival in the city's extensive subway system, Metro 2033 and Metro: Last Light were an unexpected success. Both had little follow up beside Metro Redux, which was a package of the two games with a few graphical patches thrown in.

The Metro franchise's fate seems to be one of promise, followed by silence. For instance, the Metro movie from MGM never panned out, nor did the multiple sequels planned by 4A Games. Hopefully this time around, though, the hints and rumors are true and we will some day be able to follow the rest of Artyom's story with our controllers in hand.

Metro 2033 and Metro: Last Light are available now for PC, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, and Xbox One.