PREVIEW – Ever since the announcement of Metroid Prime 4 back at E3 2017, fans have been eagerly awaiting the chance to step back into Samus’s power suit. The new Metroid game promises to continue where the 2007 Metroid Prime 3: Corruption left off, but the journey has been bumpy for Retro Studios’ next first-person installment in the beloved Metroid Prime trilogy.

Metroid Prime 4 was first revealed on June 13, 2017, with a simple logo at E3 2017, initially without the ‘Beyond’ subtitle. Fans have been on the edge of their seats for more details ever since. Fortunately, we’ve learned quite a bit about the game in development. Here, we’ve compiled everything we know about Metroid Prime 4’s release date (or window), the story, the delays, Retro Studios’ return—every bit of information that’s come to light. We’ll keep this article updated as new details emerge, so stay tuned for the latest Metroid news.

While we wait for more updates, let’s dive into what we know so far.

Metroid Prime 4 – When is it coming?

Metroid Prime 4: Beyond is expected to release in 2025. This release window was confirmed by Nintendo during a Nintendo Direct, along with the official logo and title. Nintendo also mentioned that news about the “Switch successor” will be announced before the end of the 2024/5 fiscal year. It’s possible that Prime 4 could launch on Switch after the new console is released. The first gameplay for Metroid Prime 4 was showcased in a thrilling two-minute trailer during the June 2024 Nintendo Direct.

Although Nintendo has been tight-lipped about many details of the new Metroid Prime, it was officially announced seven years ago.

The latest update came in June 2024 during the Nintendo Direct. We got the final title — Metroid Prime 4: Beyond — and a gameplay trailer that offered a quick look at Samus and her updated HUD.

Analyzing the Metroid Prime 4 Trailer

The two-part trailer shows Samus’s ship arriving on a planet under orbital attack. The bounty hunter disembarks, traverses various terrains, examines an injured Space Pirate, and infiltrates a facility using her Morph Ball ability. Then, Sylux — a bounty hunter known from Metroid Prime: Hunters — appears, accompanied by two Metroids. The trailer closes with a stunning scene of Samus in a lush forest, featuring a picturesque waterfall and a massive tree.

Metroid Prime 4: Beyond seems to closely follow the gameplay style of the previous Prime games, though new mechanics are expected to be revealed in the coming months. Additional story details and other information will also be gradually unveiled.

Who’s Developing Metroid Prime 4?

Metroid Prime 4 is being developed by Retro Studios, the same team responsible for the previous Prime games.

Initially, the project was being developed by Bandai Namco Singapore before Retro Studios took over (see below for the full story of Prime 4’s restart).

Movements of talent to and from Retro Studios give us some idea about the team involved, though nothing is officially confirmed. About half of the original Prime development team remains at Retro, but fewer than ten worked on the first Metroid Prime game—the main creatives and project leads have long since left (or sadly passed away).

The delays have significantly impacted the flow of information. Nintendo is reluctant to discuss any project until concrete details, footage, and other information can be shared with the audience. The early reveal was meant to reassure Metroid fans, who wondered why Metroid: Samus Returns was released on 3DS instead of Switch. This plan somewhat backfired due to the delay, resulting in years of radio silence.

On the bright side, the existence of Metroid Dread and Metroid Prime Remastered has somewhat softened the blow for fans eagerly awaiting Metroid Prime 4 news.

Will Metroid Prime 4 be on the “Switch 2”?

Metroid Prime 4: Beyond is confirmed for the current Switch, but this doesn’t rule out the possibility of a cross-generation release when the “Switch successor” arrives.

It’s certainly possible that Metroid Prime 4 will bridge the gap between two consoles, similar to how The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild did with the Wii U and Switch. However, without more details about the next hardware—like whether it will be backward compatible with Switch games—we can’t be certain of anything at this stage. We’ll be watching developments with great interest.

Are Other Metroid Prime Games Available on Switch?

Yes, Metroid Prime Remastered was released on Switch in 2023. There’s also a lot of rumor and speculation that Prime 2 and 3 will follow, though there’s no official confirmation yet.

Here’s a list of all the Metroid games available on Switch, including the non-Prime titles:

• Metroid (NES) – via Nintendo Switch Online
• Metroid II: Return of Samus (GB) – via Nintendo Switch Online
• Super Metroid (SNES) – via Nintendo Switch Online
• Metroid Fusion (GBA) – via Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack
• Metroid: Zero Mission (GBA) – via Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack
• Metroid Dread
• Metroid Prime Remastered

In 2019, the leaker group LeakyPandy claimed that a Super Metroid remake and an HD update of the Wii Metroid Prime Trilogy were in development alongside Metroid Prime 4, though LeakyPandy’s track record is mixed. We now have a remaster of the original Metroid Prime on Switch, but its direct sequels are still uncertain.

If Nintendo wants to excite Metroid fans and potentially attract new players who may have missed the original games on GameCube and Wii, bringing the entire Prime Trilogy to Switch is the most obvious option. Having the whole series on Switch would be a dream come true for many fans and a great “apology” for the Metroid Prime 4 delay.

Metroid Prime 4 – The Announcement and Development Saga

Let’s go back to 2017, during the early days of the Nintendo Switch. The announcement of Metroid Prime 4 at E3 2017—just three months after the Switch’s release—was surprising since Nintendo usually focuses on games set to release within the year. The announcement was made with a simple logo, confirming that the game was in development, though Retro Studios, the developer of the original trilogy, was not involved at that time.

The game’s existence alone created a buzz among fans. In the following February, it was revealed that Bandai Namco Singapore was working with Nintendo on Metroid Prime 4. Bandai Namco had co-developed several Nintendo games in the past, including entries in the Mario Kart and Super Smash Bros. franchises, so their involvement wasn’t a surprise.

By E3 2018, Nintendo made it clear that the Metroid Prime 4 announcement the previous year was a departure from their usual approach of focusing on “near-term” releases, and thus, the game did not appear in the E3 2018 Nintendo Direct broadcast.

Despite its absence, Reggie Fils-Aimé reassured fans in July that development was “progressing well” and clarified that the unusually early reveal was intended to reassure Metroid fans that a Metroid game was in development for the Switch, alongside Metroid: Samus Returns on 3DS.

A photo of the Nintendo of America president wearing a Metroid shirt sent the rumor mill into overdrive, but in November, he again assured fans that development was going smoothly. No need to worry!

Or so we thought. In a classic ‘Please Understand’ moment, Nintendo issued an official statement and video apology confirming that the existing Metroid Prime 4 had been scrapped and the project would restart with the involvement of the original Metroid Prime development studio, Retro Studios.

Why did Nintendo’s first attempt at Metroid Prime 4 get canceled? Shinya Takahashi, Senior Managing Executive Officer at Nintendo, explained that “the current development progress has not reached the standard we seek in a sequel to the Metroid Prime series.”

It was very disappointing news, though the fact that Retro Studios was back on board helped mitigate some of the fan frustration. Soon after, job listings indicated that Retro would start from scratch rather than use any work done by Bandai Namco. By June 2019, Retro was still seeking an Art Director for the project, and by October, former Halo character modeler Kyle Hefley and former DICE Art Director Jhony Ljungstedt had joined the team, likely to work on Metroid Prime 4, though this remains unconfirmed.

A rumor suggested that environmental work might be outsourced to external providers to make up for lost time. The trickle of hiring news indicated that there was still a long way to go in Metroid Prime 4’s development. During E3 2021, where Metroid Dread was revealed, Nintendo said they were still “working hard” on Prime 4 but offered no further updates.

Finally, on June 18, 2024, Metroid Prime 4 gameplay was revealed for the first time during the Nintendo Direct, plus a logo and the full title: Metroid Prime 4: Beyond.

Metroid Prime 4: Samus and Beyond

Although we’re disappointed and impatient to continue Samus’s first-person adventures on Switch, most Metroid fans take comfort in Shigeru Miyamoto’s famous quote: “A delayed game is eventually good, but a rushed game is forever bad.” It’s much better for Samus to arrive a bit late to the party in fine form than to burst in half-ready, missing a boot, and with her hair caught in her visor, right?

Remember, we’ll keep updating this page with the latest Metroid Prime 4 news as it arrives. We’re all eagerly awaiting the final release date beyond the vague “2025,” so keep an eye out for future Metroid announcements.

-Herpai Gergely “BadSector”-