Few Nintendo games have been quite as elusive asMetroid Prime 4. The reason for the game’s avoidance of the public eye is well-known, of course; development restarted completely in 2019 when control of theMetroid Primeseries was returned to Retro Studios. That shift meant that a long road lay ahead ofMetroid Prime 4.Since then, though, things haven’t gotten clearer, and recently fans have seen some mixed messages about the game. While changes to Retro Studios' social media seemingly hinted at upcomingMetroid Prime 4news, 2022 job listings for the game imply that there is still quite a bit of work to be done.
Regardless of the confusing signals, the time is right forMetroid Prime 4to finally emerge in one way or another. Even if the game isn’t ready for a full reveal or a release date, the state ofMetroiddemands an update of some kind on the game.Metroid Dread’s overall successcreates greater demand forPrime 4than ever, and the extended silence around the game has fans increasingly anxious. Retro Studios needs to provide fans with some reassurance thatMetroid Prime 4is neither facing cancellation nor in need of a second reboot.
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The Need for Metroid Prime 4
Metroid Dreadhas undoubtedly created the perfect atmosphere forMetroid Prime 4news. It’s been a long time sinceMetroidgot another 2D platformer, butMetroid Dreadproved that the original model hasn’t gone out of style. On the contrary,Metroid Dreadwas extremely warmly received on the whole, and since its release in late 2021,Metroid Dreadhas become a bestseller, outperforming all otherMetroidgames to date. Hype for the franchise is extremely high, meaning there would be a lot of eyes on aMetroid Prime 4announcement of any kind.
The current excitement aroundMetroidalso highlights just how long it has been sinceMetroid Prime 4saw the light of day. As of January 2022, three years have passed sinceMetroid Prime 4’s development restarted, and yet the game hasn’t made a reappearance. What’s more, a late 2021 report suggested that Nintendo still isn’t surewhenMetroid Prime 4might release. This nebulous status was understandable when development first restarted, but fans have waited far longer than they would’ve liked at this point, and all signs suggest that there is much more waiting to do. After all these quiet years, Retro Studios and Nintendo ought to at least weigh in on the game’s status again and provide even a vague release estimate.
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Metroid Prime 4’s Odds of Resurfacing
WhileMetroid Prime 4updates are overdue, the odds of a reappearance are hard to predict. Nintendo has several significant games to worry about in 2022, ranging fromSplatoon 3toa new generation ofPokemon,meaning Nintendo may have bigger priorities than discussingMetroid Prime 4in the coming months. Still,Metroid Prime 4has been up in the air for so long that a little more clarity is needed, rather than merely recommended. Nintendo can make room for a brief update on the game in a near-future Nintendo Direct, even if it doesn’t discuss the game in detail.
For the moment, there is at leasta little hope forMetroid Prime 4making its long-awaited return in late 2022 in terms of publicity. Nintendo’s 2023 release calendar has yet to come into view, meaning there is still room forMetroid Prime 4to become a big part of next year’s schedule.Metroid Dread’s success may inspire Nintendo to devote more resources towardsMetroid Primetoo, which could ultimately help it reach a release next year. HopefullyMetroid Prime 4’s day will come soon; fans have been waiting long enough.
