The fourth installment in the Metroid Prime series was always going to be a tough game for Nintendo to release. Announced in early 2017, ten years after Metroid Prime 3: Corruption, Metroid Prime 4 was to continue the story on Nintendo Switch. With an all-new development team led by Japanese and Singaporean studios Bandai Namco, there was a lot of excitement for this new game, even though Nintendo had only revealed a logo at this stage.
As the years passed without any updates, Shinya Takahashi, Nintendo's EPD General Manager confirmed two years later that development of Metroid Prime 4 had restarted. Takahashi has announced that Retro Studios, the developer of the original trilogy, will return to create the sequel.
There hasn't been a Metroid game on consoles since Metroid: Other M, which was released in 2010. Fans have been waiting over a decade for a new Metroid game, but at least there's confirmation that Metroid Prime 4 is officially in development. It's been just under two years since development restarted, which leaves us with a number of clues that give us an idea of the game's current shape.
METROID PRIME 4: EVERYTHING WE KNOW SO FAR
When is Metroid Prime 4 release date?
If you're hoping to play Metroid Prime 4 before 2022, you might be disappointed to learn that this is highly unlikely. Although development of the game restarted in 2019, Retro Studios was not equipped to make a game as big as Metroid Prime 4 in its current state. Over the past two years, Retro Studios has hired many AAA developers, ranging from Santa Monica Studio veterans to former Naughty Dog members.
Although the original trilogy was launched in just five years, Metroid Prime 4 is built from the ground up. Assets from previous games are now unusable due to their age and general low quality. Having to create an entire game from scratch will take at least two years, and that's a best-case scenario. To make matters worse, we are currently in the midst of a global pandemic that is sure to slow down the development process.
What's the latest in Metroid Prime 4?
Retro Studios continues to hire developers, the most notable over the past few months being Marisa Palumbo, who spent years working at Rockstar. The studio is also hiring product testers on a contract basis, which suggests Metroid Prime 4 is in a playable state. This doesn't mean the game is ready to ship, but it's a positive sign that the game is progressing well so far.
Is there a Metroid Prime 4 trailer?
Nintendo revealed a trailer for Metroid Prime 4 with the announcement back in 2017, although there wasn't much to see other than the logo. It looks like Nintendo is sticking with this logo as it hasn't changed since the project restarted.
Is The Metroid Prime Trilogy Coming To The Switch?
Nintendo has a habit of re-releasing its best-selling Wii and Wii U games on Switch. Mario's 35th anniversary celebration brought together three of the plumber's iconic 3D games, so there's precedent to believe the Metroid series could have a similar celebration.
The Metroid series is commemorating its 35th anniversary in 2021, and while Metroid Prime 4 seems unlikely at this point, a re-release of the Metroid Prime trilogy could be on the cards. If Nintendo wants to do something a little more adventurous, it could incorporate some of Samus' 2D adventures alongside the Prime games.
And that's all we know about Metroid Prime 4. Judging by everything that's happened with the game's development, it looks like Retro Studios is gearing up to make one of its biggest games yet. day. While that means fans will have to wait a bit longer, if it means Metroid Prime 4 becomes a better game, we're fine with that.
