Video game fans of all ages worldwide are hotly anticipating various video games that are due to be launched in 2021. With this, here is a look at Retro Studios’ Metroid Prime 4, one of the most eagerly awaited video games set to debut on various video game platforms next year.
Developed by Retro Studios and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Switch, Metroid Prime 4 is an upcoming video game and the fourth installment in the Metroid Prime series, part of Nintendo’s Metroid franchise.
It was announced during an online showcase at E3 2017 and was reportedly initially developed by Bandai Namco Studios.
In early 2019, development restarted under Retro Studios, retaining producer Kensuke Tanabe.
Developer: Retro Studios
Publisher: Nintendo
Producer: Kenzuke Tanabe
Series: Metroid
Platforms: Nintendo Switch
Release: TBA
Development
Nintendo announced Metroid Prime 4 in June 2017 during their E3 online showcase.
Shortly after the announcement, Bill Trinen, Director of Product Marketing at Nintendo of America, confirmed that Prime 4 would not be developed by Retro Studios, the studio that developed previous Metroid Prime games but would still be produced by Metroid producer Kensuke Tanabe.
In 2018, Eurogamer reported that Prime 4 was being developed by Bandai Namco Studios of Japan and Singapore; the Bandai Singapore staff included former LucasArts staff who had worked on the canceled Star Wars 1313.
In 2018, Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime stated that Metroid Prime 4 was “well into development” and “proceeding well”.
However, Nintendo did not show it during their E3 2018 presentation and said they would only share more information once they believed they “had something that would wow people”.
In a video released in January 2019, Nintendo EPD general manager Shinya Takahashi announced that Metroid Prime 4 had restarted development.
Takahashi said that development under the previous studio had not met Nintendo’s standards, and the game would instead be developed by Retro Studios, the developers of the original three Metroid Prime games.
Nintendo’s share prices fell by 2.8% in the week following the announcement.
Thus far, here are few reactions of video game geeks to Metroid Prime 4: