Nintendo had an incredibly eventful year in 2023 with the successful releases of Super Mario Bros. Wonder, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, Pikmin 4, Metroid Prime Remastered, and more. However, Nintendo enthusiasts are now wondering what might be next for the veteran game developer, especially concerning the Nintendo Switch 2 console and one of the most highly anticipated Nintendo titles of the last two decades, Metroid Prime 4​​​​​​.

According to recent credible reports, Nintendo's next Switch console, which was originally expected to be released in late 2024, is now set for an early 2025 launch. While this is disheartening news for fans who have been anxiously awaiting the release of the Switch 2, it could also mean great things for fans who have been waiting a rather long time for Metroid Prime 4​​​​​​.

While the game was announced to be in development in 2017, Metroid Prime 4's development was rebooted in 2019, as Retro Studios, developer of the original Metroid Prime games, took over for Bandai Namco. Then, in 2020, some new job advertisements made by Retro implied development for Metroid Prime 4 was moving along rather slowly. Since then, not much has been made known about the game apart from rumors, leaving fans constantly scouring the internet for more information.

Metroid Prime fans have been waiting almost two decades for the next installment to arrive, as the most recent installment, Metroid Prime 3: Corruption, was released back in 2007 for the Wii. Needless to say, Metroid Prime 4 has been a long time coming — so much so that many fans have long been convinced it will never happen. Fortunately, not only is Metroid Prime 4 finally in development, but the recent reports that the Nintendo Switch 2 likely won't be released until early 2025 could suggest a potential release window for the next installment.

According to Nintendo's history of console launch lineups, each new console typically launches with one major title and several lesser-known titles — or, at least, less anticipated games. For the most part, every console has launched alongside a major Super Mario game, and if not Super Mario, then The Legend of Zelda. The only outlier was the Nintendo GameCube, which was released with Luigi’s Mansion. However, as Luigi is a member of the Super Mario cast, Luigi’s Mansion is close enough to a Super Mario title. Now, the Switch 2 has a chance to shake things up by launching alongside one of the most anticipated Nintendo games of the last two decades, which is neither Super Mario nor The Legend of Zelda.

Metroid Prime 4 is hugely anticipated, so it's difficult to deny the impact that releasing it with the Switch 2 would have on its fan base. While it might at one time have been recognized as little more than a cult classic, the Metroid series is considered one of Nintendo's most beloved franchises, so Metroid Prime 4 would undoubtedly be a welcome title in the Switch 2 launch lineup, especially if it wound up being the star of the show.

Nintendo has already confirmed that Metroid Prime 4's release is coming soon. The question is whether Nintendo and Retro will take advantage of the Switch 2's launch and use it as a means to release Metroid Prime 4 as well. All of this, of course, is just speculation, as Nintendo has yet to publicly confirm whether the Switch 2 is coming in early 2025, as reports suggest. However, the best-case scenario would see the new console coming very soon and Metroid Prime 4 along with it.



Posted: Feb 23, 2024 11:54 am
Related Forum: Gaming Discussion

Source: https://gamerant.com/switch-2-metroid-prime-4-2025-launch-title-good-why/