Today at E3 2017, Microsoft shocked fans of the Metro franchise with the announcement of Metro Exodus, which is due for release in 2018, and is playable in native 4K resolution on Xbox One X.

Microsoft announced Metro Exodus with an intense trailer, showing the protagonist explore post-apocalyptic Russia. In the gameplay trailer, we see gameplay elements that should be familiar to fans of the franchise, such as scavenging for ammo, using a gas mask, and fighting off stranger creatures with shotguns.

Check out the E3 2017 trailer for Metro Exodus right here:

Even though Metro Exodus was a surprise announcement at Microsoft's E3 2017 press conference, the game has actually been teased for quite some time. Nearly a year ago, 4A Games posted cryptic images on Twitter that hinted at its existence. And then a few months after that, Dmitry Glukhovsky, the author of the Metro books, teased that while he wasn't going to continue the story in his novels, the franchise could continue in "other media."

It's clear now that Glukhovksy was referring to Metro Exodus, though most of the game is still shrouded in mystery. The E3 2017 trailer gave fans a good idea of what to expect from the gameplay, but not much was said in regards to the game's story and how it may possibly connect to the last two games in the series.

Something else unclear about Metro Exodus is whether or not it is an Xbox One console exclusive or not. The game was only explicitly confirmed for PC and Xbox One during Microsoft's E3 2017 press conference, with no mention of PS4. Perhaps the game will be a timed-exclusive for Xbox One, since Deep Silver owns the rights to the franchise.

Regardless of Metro Exodus' exclusivity status, it should still be a solid game for the Xbox One X lineup. Its E3 2017 demo was visually impressive, and it looks as though the series is going in bold new directions in terms of gameplay. While we still have a lot of questions about the game, more should be revealed in the coming days as E3 continues.

Metro Exodus will release in 2018 for PC and Xbox One.