Metroid Prime 4 Rises from the Ashes After Lengthy Delay

In November 2025, Nintendo's long-awaited Metroid Prime 4 is finally set to launch for the Nintendo Switch and its successor, the Switch 2. The game's development has been a rollercoaster, with Nintendo publicly acknowledging in 2019 that the project was not meeting their standards and restarting it from scratch under the supervision of Retro Studios, the creators of the original Metroid Prime trilogy.

Now, six years after the game's initial announcement, Metroid Prime 4 is nearing completion. A recent hands-on preview provided a glimpse into the game's early areas, suggesting a familiar Metroid experience with some new twists. The game follows bounty hunter Samus Aran as she teams up with Galactic Federation forces to combat an invasion by the villainous Sylux.

While the game's visuals and performance seem solid, the preview also raised some concerns. Metroid Prime 4's environments appear more linear and less open-ended than previous entries in the series, potentially sacrificing the franchise's signature exploration depth. Additionally, the introduction of a sidekick character, Mackenzie, has some fans worried that the game may stumble in its storytelling, a pitfall the series has faced before.

Despite these potential issues, the mere existence of Metroid Prime 4 is a triumph, considering the game's tumultuous development. Fans of the series have eagerly awaited this sequel for years, and with its launch just around the corner, the gaming community is eager to see if Retro Studios and Nintendo can deliver a Metroid experience worth the wait.