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Metroid Prime 4 Development Update On Nintendo Switch (Starting Again)

Nintendo has revealed that the development of the long-awaited new entry in the Metroid franchise for the Nintendo Switch is below the company’s expectations, which means the game is being rebooted or redone. The development team has been changed back to Retro Studios who were behind the previous games in the Metroid Prime franchise. So we should expect a long delay.

Thanks to all those who sent this in!

150 thoughts on “Metroid Prime 4 Development Update On Nintendo Switch (Starting Again)”

  1. GAAAAAAAH!!!! So it’ll be forever!!! They’re rebuilding the game!! But we’ve had to wait so long already!! Well, at least this means Nintendo’s working hard to deliver the best possible experience!

    1. I agree with you man and to most people commenting here—release the trilogy on Switch while at it!

      Anyway, restarting the development really sucks. At least, it’s Retro that’s going to take over. I knew I have a feeling that the coming of Metroid Prime 4 to the Switch would be compromised.

      1. IT’S SO FREAKN BITTER-SWEET! :(

        It’s gonna be BOTW all over again. My only hope is that it turns out just as good as BOTW and gets that same content treatment.
        Furthermore… I am very puzzled as to what the details were behind the scenes of all this… there are many unanswered questions even after watching the video. Like why did the game already have a rating (Provisional PEGI12)? The rating was probably a placeholder but was the game in deeper progress than we think? Did they scrap that original concept because it was not molding too well? Who was the original developer/team? Was there some sort of falling out with the original team/developers? Was the lack of progress updates because of issues with the development team? Will we ever know about the contents of the original game/beta?
        I’M SO CURIOUS AND PUZZLED!

        Ugh, I don’t know… I could be overthinking all of this… I hope it’s worth the wait though.

      1. But it was weird. Reggie has said that it’s not them to announce games that are in the distant future, yet they did with Prime. And why didn’t just Retro get it in the first place?(Yeah, management isdues, but they got the game in the end, right?) I think it wasn’t the plan to release the game this or next year. It probably was to make hype for Metroid II on 3DS and make anothrt incentive for people to buy Switch in the pre-Smash hype.

        1. The fact that Retro Studios wasn’t working on it made me also worry about why aren’t they working on the game.

          I think the problem could be that after the announce of MP4 at E3 2017 they were really at the benning phase of the game like sketches, scripts ecc. The only think I can share is that Nintendo wanted people to know that they still care to franchise like Metroid

      2. @Kantenstain He said that after the the Prime reveal, and I’m pretty sure he said that knowing the NB Prime 4 was very far off. The less they do that the better, which we’re now seeing in action why. Wonder how they feel about that Brawl reveal today btw…

    1. Right, because you’d rather they sell a broken game that was highly anticipated instead of delaying it so that they can make it the absolute best it could possibly be? Sure, it’s a little disappointing that the game had to be delayed, but you would be far more disappointed if they hadn’t decided to delay it to make it the game you want to play.

    2. Yup would love another Kirby game. Lmao. Mad cause Kirby one of Japan’s favorite characters? Besides HAL consistedly works on Kirby games. Maybe if Metroid were ( more popular) some second party studio game we’d have more of it.

      1. Kirby and Metroid games are different in the way how you play and see. Kirby is more on the cute side (even if there demons or nightmare stuff) and on the graphic side I don’t see complex models to made. On the other hand Metroid is more on the exploration and the story is more serious compared to Kirby. I understand the love for the Metroid franchise and see more games of it. I could say the same for Star Fox

  2. I said it here to the Commander that the Prime 4 logo was there to alleviate potential hate/disappointment against the Metroid II 3DS game so it could sell better.
    That Miyamoto quote is being thrown everywhere now. I don’t feel we can say for sure we have all the details to assume this is fir the better.

        1. I could be some salty co-worker trying to hurt the reputation ofc. It could also be that they’re trying to gain face again by forcing people to say it was just a lie. Like Rockstar 99,99% likley did when it got public that there was 100 hours crunches leading up to Red Dead Redemption.

    1. I don’t think there really ever was a major project going besides vaporware. Retro assisted in some Nintendo games in the past couple of years but they haven’t really been at the helm of anything since DKC:TF. I read a report that Retro was having some major internal issues which prevented them from making progress on any new IP. At least now Nintendo is going to put the pressure on them to work MP4. This is a great because I don’t think Bandai Namco is an adequate development studio to be working on a Metroid game. That decision never made sense to me.

      1. Bandai Namco Singapore doesn’t have the quality and experience in making a video game. Although it’s saddened that Metroid Prime 4 won’t reach the 2019 target, but Nintendo reuniting with Retro Studios was, from my POV, is a definite blessing. I accept Nintendo’s apologies and understanding.

        1. Well the argument isn’t equal here because in this case there is Sakurai who, I think, hears what fans want. On the other hand we have a studio that is working on a project under the control of Nintendo and they can’t make a project without the permission for Nintendo.

          In summary I see Retro Studios as a company that makes games when a company asks for it while Sakurai can control his own game and say to Nintendo “I want this character in the game” for example

      1. Probably. To be honest, I am trying to be positive since the grinch leak and the Game Awards weren’t good things for me, but I think Nintendo is listening more to the fans than in the Wii U era. Which gives me hope despite having to wait 3 years with some months.

  3. I appreciate that Nintendo did this. The transparency is very respectable. This is best case scenario I think since the previous development didn’t meet their standards and due to that we now have Retro Studios working on it which will make it amazing. Too excited for this!

    1. Well if they going to a reboot then there is no need for me to complain and i knew Restro Studios are doing the development of the game i knew it. Nintendo did say it was going to be handled by a new development team.

        1. Ah I stand corrected. Apologies on that, man, but we should still be glad that we’ll end up with a better game now that it’s been delayed rather than a broken mess of a highly anticipated game.

    1. He did, he said development for mp4 was going well and it was actually a post on here just a few months back.
      Pfft, maybe what he meant was they were leaving it to retro, but didn’t want to share the news too soon.

    2. No. Nintendo is a publisher. When they give a project to a studio, the studio will pitch their idea to Nintendo and then they’ll work out what both companies want, then set a time table which will typically include monthly milestones: where the game is expected to be at a certain point in development, goals and features you want to include, etc. The studio will submit monthly milestones videos to Nintendo, who will assess whats going on and send in the payroll. A project can struggle for a while to reach it’s milestones, but you can still right the ship in the end. Often that may mean sending more resources, bringing in a partner studio to help, cutting unrealistic features, “crunch time,” etc. It’s a huge financial loss to pull the plug, even just a year into it, and utterly demoralizing for the studio involved. It’s often not until a good way into the project that you can even recognize that things aren’t fixable. A high profile delay is never good for the company or fans. It’s not something you do lightly, and not without putting in every effort to avoid it, for all parties involved.

  4. Yeah, damn them for trying to release a well crafted game that they’ll be satisfied with, instead of a rushed or mediocre product!

  5. The earliest I guess we will see this game is 2021 now, hell I wouldn’t be surprised if this is the Nintendo switches last big game. Sad to say but at least retro is back on board.

  6. Generally I get pretty bummed about delays, but this one doesn’t bother me. Knowing that they are rebuilding the whole game, and working with the original developers, gives me confidence that the product will be excellent. Since this series has so few entries I’d prefer them all to be stellar titles, and not just shoveled out the door.

  7. At least they’re honest. But still, Nintendo should have got them to develop the game Retro made into a great trilogy. Seeing how Nintendo handled Hunters, it was a no-brainer. And they last Metroid game on a home console by Nintendo didn’t pan out so well

  8. 1) good job by Nintendo to say something. Good job not to deliver something “bad” again.
    2) this probably means retro is either done with their other project or they too had their project cancelled too.
    3) I don’t want prime 4. Would rather have something new. I’m probably in the minority here.

    1. Maybe this also means they’ll give us Trilogy to tide us over. Or better yet, a remaster in the same vain as Wind Waker.

  9. It’ll be released when PS5 and XB2 are out and be completely eclipsed. I love Nintendo but sometimes I just despair.

      1. Well, consoles generally have games…

        PS5 & XB2 will have multiple photorealistic, 4k, 120fps shooters, by which point I doubt this’ll cut it.

        1. A game can have 4k 120fps or any new type of tech but if it sucks in story it doesn’t matter how much graphics or performance can go the game.

          Your argument seems to go on the specs of the game by not touching the gameplay.

          If you have a game that can be played on new and old consoles what is the first thing you check first? Graphics? Ok a game can have stunning graphics. FPS? Depends on the type of game.

          Take for example Zelda BotW. The graphics is almost the same on the Switch and Wii U but differs for few details. 30 fps is ok for that game since it loads a huge world but the gameplay is what it makes the game amazing.
          So 4k 8k 120 fps or whatever is on a game to me it’s important the gameplay not the aspects around.

          1. I do agree with you on this, BUT framerate affects gameplay in games like fighters, shooters and racing games etc. Fire Emblem would be an example of a games where it’s probably not that important, but Metroid should and need to have high framerate to be the best it can be.

  10. Obviously disappointing but there were similar issues with BOTW and look how that turned out. Really good news that Retro are handling it again too. Not worried in the slightest.

  11. That’s because they didnt work on the game immediately. They also should start Metro Prime 5 immediately. Or will we have to wait another 15 years for Metroprime 5?

    1. Despite this unfortunately news, I think they will announce at least one or two new games. DK Country 6 could be one of them as this could be what Retro has been working before being appointed to make Metroid Prime 4.

  12. Honestly, though it is disappointing that the game will be delayed quite substantially, this is a good thing. It means that firstly we are considerably less likely to receive a mediocre product, something Metroid fans have been all too familiar with considering the long stagnant decade between Corruption and Samus Returns. (I know a lot of people here liked Other M but seriously, compared to the Prime series and games like Super, Fusion and Zero Mission, it was fucking terrible. I personally hated it).

    Secondly it means that the reliable retrostudios have their hands back on Metroid, which can only be a positive thing. They did a great job with the original Prime games and with the DK Country reboots. I’m prepared to wait longer if it means the end result is going to be that much better.

    1. Well if they going to a reboot then there is no need for me to complain and i knew Restro Studios are doing the development of the game i knew it. Nintendo did say it was going to be handled by a new development team.

  13. Lets look at it this way, had they shown footage of the game and rebooted the project, you can bet that there will be angry ‘video game nerds’ and that anger would be justifiable.

  14. Always kind of got the impression that they were announcing it that early just to garner excitement about future Switch releases. I’m never against developers essentially announcing their intent to make a game, especially Nintendo who traditionally won’t even start planning a game until they feel like can do something new with the game..

  15. They better start Bayonetta 4 immediately. I don’t get why they dont make games immediately. Sometimes software can delay from a new console launch. Why bring out a new console if the current console sells are still strong because of the developers making games immediately.

        1. Good developers, I should say. Games like that rarely keep the same teams anyways. They’re more like where you put your new hires to sort out the talented ones. It’s not being run by people with creative drives to make massive new worlds or innovative gameplay. There’s a lot of folk that look at game development as a 9-5 and something like Just Dance might be a good fit. Other franchises like Smash, well you can afford to pay the Sakurai’s enough to keep them working, I guess.

          A lot of smaller studios with a big hit series like to alternate between the big hit and something new. It can keep you from getting in a creative rut and be healthier for the popular series in the end.

  16. Its like I have a sixth sense and I just knew mp4 was going to be way off.
    At least retro are at the healm now.

    I had serouis doubts as to WHY they weren’t involved in the first place.

    I’m still hoping they’ve been working on a new dk and we can at least get that from them this year.

    Retro need to nail this, this will prob be next gen switch, especially with visually stunning games on the horizon like elder 6 and god knows what else for ps5, this needs to stand out and Nintendo know it.

    Cons: absolutely sucks to be a big Metroid fan and here this news today.

    Pros: it’s a wise choice from Nintendo and especially reassuring to know the prime team are making this game again.

    We still need games beforehand though. I wouldn’t be surprised if we get the next big Zelda game before mp4.

    1. Exactly my thoughts. I like both DK Country (and 64) and Metroid Prime games. Hopefully a new Country game is on the way to come this year. I think the best solution for both Metroid Prime and DK Country games to come without having to choose between one or the other, is to have a new studio for the DK franchise. I think that the Ubisoft team that make the DK Adventure DLC of Mario + Rabbits Kingdom is an excellent match for the DK franchise, because we aslo need to have more DK games without having to wait for Retro Studios to complete Metroid Prime 4.

  17. I’m not sure if there’s actually been any sort of footage that Nintendo could of put together in the last nearly 2 years.

    I wish reggie would stop wearing Samus t-shirts, badges etc coz right now that makes it seem pointless

    1. Wearing shirts with images don’t mean anything, people read something that isn’t there, its like the ‘sky is blue’ and people think its oppression or some other and the actual meaning is literally the ‘sky is blue’.

    2. Weren’t people going on about him wearing Metroid shirts when he was wearing Ridley Smash bros shirts to promote Smash. And it’s known that Reggie loves Ridley in Smash?

  18. The only Metriod game I ever cared to finish was Super Metroid. Than after Hollow Knight blew the metrovania genre out of the water, I just wanted more of THAT. The Prime games are decently good but Not being a HUGE Metroid fan I can definitely wait for as long as they need to take.

  19. Sad that Metroid Prime 4 is going to take 3 years to develop now but glad to know that Retro Studios has been appointed to make Prime 4. Though I know that some of the Retro members of Prime Trilogy have left, they are still a western studio so I think they can deliver the same experience as the one that the Prime Trilogy ex-members delivered in the past. Perhaps they even surpass the experience of the previous Prime games.

  20. They should hire bungie to design a multiplayer mode
    I’m thinking something like halo but with GF troopers. Or maybe take the best parts of hunters and prime 2 multiplayer and make a competitive hero shooter with different bounty hunters. Either way, a 4 vs 1 mode where 1 player is ridley would be fun

    1. Well if they going to a reboot then there is no need for me to complain and i knew Restro Studios are doing the development of the game i knew it. Nintendo did say it was going to be handled by a new development team.

  21. It looks like nintendo will publish about 3 games again this year. go third party i like about 2 games a year from nintendo that’s not enough to buy the overpriced out of date hardware. switch U

    1. Obvious troll is obvious, but to remind everyone, the titles we KNOW Nintendo is publishing and have release dates scheduled for this year include: Yoshi, Fire Emblem, Luigi’s Mansion, Bayo 3, Animal Crossing, Pokemon, Ultimate Alliance 3, and Daemon X Machina. That’s on the heels of a solid Mario Party entry, Pokemon, a top form Smash bros, and an unexciting but still solid port of Mario Bros in October, November, December, and January respectfully. One game a month in the last four months with 8 announced titles and 11 months to go in the year.

      1. Some of you need to grow up. Nintendo cares a lot about us and you feel entitled to a good game coming out NOW. I’d rather wait and see the game become an instant classic. This isn’t politics or religion. This is a family friendly gaming company, so take your crap and go.

    2. That bullshit ain’t going to happen, troll. Nintendo is NOT going third party and you fucking know it. Just because Nintendo is changing the development team doesn’t mean they’re making a rushed game to disappoint gamers or fans of the franchise. Nintendo has every right to call the shots. If a game that lacks the overall quality, they won’t do it… and Bandai Namco SINGAPORE is a part of that statistic. You’re too fucking salty because the Nintendo Switch have outsold the PS4 and Xbox One combined in December 2018 according to the latest data.

      Your comment is out of date and so is your inferior life. Get N or get out!

  22. Well if they going to a reboot then there is no need for me to complain and i knew Restro Studios are doing the development of the game i knew it. Nintendo did say it was going to be handled by a new development team.

    1. There you are! I was waiting for your reaction on this xP I do agree. Rumours says that HD Trilogy was supposed to be revealed in December, and have a imminent realse date, but it was pulled. If this is true, I don’t know when we would get it. Soon or a year before the relase of Prime 4.

      I don’t want to be Captain Foresight, but I said back in E3 2017 that something like this would happen since Prime Logo probably was there just to boost Samus Returns’ sale.

      1. That’s a sad possibility & this announcement is just a bold faced lie to cover up the fact they never had anything for MP4 to begin with. (We better be careful, though. We might trigger some of the people that think Nintendo is some kind of kind, caring developer & could never do anything wrong.)

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