THQ Inc. today announced Metro 2033, the atmospheric first person shooter set in a post-apocalyptic Moscow, has passed the gold master stage of development and entered manufacturing. Powered by brand new technology – the formidable 4A Engine – Metro 2033 will set a new graphical benchmark on both Xbox 360 and PC when it hits retail outlets on March 16th in the US and Germany, March 18th in Australia and March 19th in the rest of the world.

“We’re excited to be bringing such a truly original experience to market,” said Richard Williams, Vice President of Global Brand Management, THQ. “Metro 2033 couples a deep and engaging story with incredibly atmospheric first person shooter gameplay, and the 4A Engine provides cutting edge technology behind the most impressive visuals seen on either PC or console to date.”

Metro 2033 has already been acclaimed for its graphical prowess on both Xbox 360 and PC, with the latter benefiting from advanced DX11 features and NVIDIA PhysX implementation. In addition, gamers can enjoy Metro 2033 in 3D, powered by NVIDIA 3D Vision.