Despite being unveiled just a few months after the launch of the Nintendo Switch, Metroid Prime 4 has yet to see the light of day. All fans have is a brief teaser from E3 2017, and even that was just a logo with some music. Video game development is understandably time-consuming, but eager players were dealt a tough hand in early 2019 when production on the game was announced to be restarting from scratch.
Fast-forward to today, and three years have now gone by without a peep regarding the overall development of Metroid Prime 4. Obviously, Nintendo and Retro Studios should not rush the project and take as much time as necessary to fine-tune every little aspect. That being said, three years is a significant amount of time to work on any creative endeavor, and there must be something to show for it by now. For that reason, as well as the unprecedented success of Metroid Dread, this year is the right time for Nintendo to finally re-introduce the game.
The Success of Metroid Dread
In the five years since Metroid Prime 4 was announced, MercurySteam stepped up to the plate and released two entirely different Metroid games. The first was Metroid: Samus Returns, a respectable remake of the Game Boy original that fine-tuned some mechanics and updated the graphics. However, it was Metroid Dread that exploded and put MercurySteam on the map as a Metroid developer.
The Metroid franchise, despite being well reviewed, has always struggled to obtain the same level of popularity as other Nintendo IPs like The Legend of Zelda and Super Mario Bros. Sales for each installment have generally struggled, which could be the cause for so many gaps between releases in the series. Metroid Dread has exceeded all expectations in this regard, as it has become the fastest-selling game in the series and was nominated for Game of the Year at The Game Awards 2021.
This kind of buzz has brought the franchise back in a big way, which Nintendo shouldn't sleep on. It should be followed up with more Metroid news to satisfy longtime fans as well as new players who enjoyed Metroid Dread.
Renewed Confidence in Metroid Prime 4
Metroid Prime 4 is hardly the only video game to have a lengthy production, as Nintendo's own Breath of the Wild 2 has been eagerly anticipated since the first installment launched in 2017. The key difference is that news regarding Breath of the Wild 2 has been slightly more consistent, with showings at both E3 2019 and E3 2021. Metroid Prime 4 has gone completely silent, and the only real time light was shed on the project was with the news that development was starting over again.
The Metroid fanbase has also had a more difficult time when it comes to getting new games in the franchise. After the Metroid Prime trilogy concluded in 2007, releases were few and far between. When there were some new games, these were mainly controversial entries like Metroid: Other M and Metroid Prime: Federation Force, hardly projects that players were waiting for. Fans of Super Mario Bros and The Legend of Zelda have had steady, quality releases for years, so that yearning for new content isn't as present.
Considering the hype surrounding Metroid Dread, and that a decent amount of time has passed since the game restarted production, now seems like a good time to reveal anything for the project. With a rumored Nintendo Direct sometime this month, perhaps Nintendo will finally show something about the future of Samus Aran, even if it's just a brief trailer, to satisfy the appetites of fans.
Metroid Prime 4 is in development for Nintendo Switch.
