Metroid is a massive Nintendo franchise, and for years it was set in a 2D perspective. That changed with Metroid Prime after developers Retro Studios got their hands on the IP. Since then, the Metroid Prime trilogy has been held in high regard by Metroid fans. Fortunately, it looks like Nintendo hadn’t forgotten about Metroid Prime, as we know there is development for Metroid Prime 4. It’s been a long development cycle, and there was even an announcement of the project being scrapped and moved back into the hands of the development team Retro Studios.
The announcement of Metroid Prime came in 2017, and we’re still waiting on the game. As mentioned, there was the announcement of the game project being scrapped by the initial developers, with Metroid Prime 4 starting development at Retro Studios in 2019. Although, since then, we haven’t seen the game mentioned by Nintendo. There’s been a lack of communication with the public on the title, but it could be for a good reason.
Recently, the YouTube channel Kiwi Talkz uploaded a video from former developers of Retro Studios. Although don’t get too excited here, these developers didn’t indicate what was being done, and some of these individuals admitted that they were not privy to such information. But, the former developers who had worked on the Metroid Prime trilogy mentioned what they hope to see from the studio regarding the fourth installment of the Metroid Prime series.
For instance, Jack Mathews, the lead technical engineer of the Metroid Prime trilogy, hopes that the studio doesn’t take the game IP in the same direction as The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Instead, they hope the studios keeps the close, highly detailed interiors the Metroid franchise is known for. But, another critical aspect that the former developer noted is that Nintendo won’t bring out a game until they feel it’s ready for the public to see. This lack of the game being showcased could be an indicator that the project is progressing. It’s all a means to reach a point where the company feels the title meets its standards.
Meanwhile, other developers have expressed that some new expansions will likely come with the new installment. Of course, each release comes with something new and notable. Likewise, Bryan Walker, the senior producer behind Metroid Prime 2 and Metroid Prime 3, hope that the fourth installment will dive more into the Galactic Federation, an area that he was hoping to do more with the Prime series. You can check out the video highlighting some of the former developer’s comments on Metroid Prime 4 within the video embedded above. Unfortunately, with all that said, we still don’t have a release date for Metroid Prime 4 but fans and former developers alike can’t wait to see what the next installment brings.