Next, but it's almost here - and here's what you should know

It's been 18 years since it was released Metroid Prime 3: Corruptionbut the release of the next entry in the beloved series is just around the corner. The launch is planned for December 4th Metroid Prime 4: Beyond is one of the longest-awaited sequels in video game history, and its release is something worth celebrating considering the long, rocky development road it took to get here. Whether it will wow fans and critics when it launches remains to be seen, but at least next time Metroid Prime the game is finally almost here.

Metroid Prime 4The development history goes back years and could be considered the poster child for overcoming development hell – an increasingly present circumstance in the industry. After successfully undergoing a massive studio change and complete reboot, Metroid Prime 4 she beat the odds and is ready to arrive very soon with her renewed ambition in full swing.

Metroid Prime 4's development history goes back years

August 2007: Metroid Prime 3: Corruption is released
June 2017: Metroid Prime 4 was officially announced for Nintendo Switch during E3 / Nintendo Spotlight.
February 2018: Confirmation that the original development studio was Bandai Namco Studios, working in Japan/Singapore.
January 2019: Nintendo publicly announces that development has been restarted and handed over to Retro Studios (Prime's original developer).
June 18, 2024: The game is revealed again with the full title, Metroid Prime 4: Beyond.
September 12, 2025: Nintendo announces the game's official release date of December 4, 2025 for Switch and Switch 2.
November 2025: Previews and final previews appear; file size, technical mods for Switch 2 will be public.

Some fans of Metroid Prime 4: Beyond may try the game early

Early notice and high expectations

When Metroid Prime 4 was first announced via a trailer during the Nintendo Direct presentation at E3 2017, nearly a decade has passed since its predecessor's launch, Metroid Prime 3: Corruption. The trailer created intense excitement among fans who were waiting for news about the next one Metroid Prime game from last time, although nothing concrete was revealed in the trailer. at that time Metroid Prime 4 Described by Nintendo as “a first-person action adventure that harkens back to the roots of the original Metroid Prime“, with series producer Kensuke Tanabe helming its production, and that it will be released “after 2017.” There was finally hope for a series that was considered dead and gone.

Development problems and reboot

Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime stated this in 2018 Metroid Prime 4 it was “well in development” and “progressing well” with Bandai Namco Studios at the helm, but the game didn't show up at E3 that year, leading to concerns that something was amiss. Sure enough, in January 2019 it was announced that the development Metroid Prime 4 rebooted under Retro Studios, with Tanabe retaining his position as the game's producer. The reason, according to Nintendo EPD manager Shinya Takahashi, was that the previous studio did not meet Nintendo's standards.

Re-emergence and ramp-up

Problems with the development of any game can be demoralizing, but Metroid Prime 4 however, it continued to truck until receiving a full trailer on June 18, 2024 during the Nintendo Direct presentation. The trailer now gives the long-awaited game a subtitle Forit showed off gameplay and cinematics that were more than enough for everyone, but guaranteed its imminent arrival and eased the fears of fans who might have suspected it would never arrive. The Metroid Prime 4 The trailer ended with “2025”, giving the game its first concrete release window since its announcement in 2017.

2025 then rolled into the image and Metroid Prime 4: Beyond brought even more revelation of fans' tastes. A new trailer was revealed in March 2025, featuring new gameplay footage, the planet Viewros, Samus' psychic abilities, and more. During the Nintendo Switch 2 reveal in April, Nintendo also announced that the game would receive a Switch 2 Edition with improved visuals and optional mouse controls for the Joy-Con. Finally, at September's Nintendo Direct event, the new trailer was locked in on a December 4th release date Metroid Prime 4along with footage of Samus riding a motorbike through a desert environment.

A screenshot from the Metroid Prime 4 Beyond - Survive trailer

What we know about Metroid Prime 4: Beyond

Platforms and editions

Platforms: Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2
Release date: December 4, 2025
File sizes
- Switch: approx. 28.9 GB
- Switch 2: approx. 31.6 GB
Switch 2 Resolution and frame rate
- Anchored
  - Quality mode (4K at 60fps)
  - Performance Mode (1080p at 120fps)
- Small
  - Quality mode (1080p at 60fps)
  - Performance Mode (720p at 120fps)

World and story setting

Metroid Prime 4 Green Fury misty landscape view

The story of Metroid Prime 4: Beyond takes place on the brand new alien planet Viewros that has never been talked about before Metroid previous tradition. The game begins with Samus Aran responding to an attack on the Galactic Federation's UTO research center by her arch-rival Sylux, after which she finds herself in the middle of a disaster and then wakes up on Viewros. Viewros is a world full of hostile fauna, alien ruins, and vast natural biomes. The following biomes have been confirmed so far:

Forest biome
Ice/frozen biome
Lava/volcanic biome
Desert biome

Features and mechanics

Metroid Prime 4: Next will stick to the main roots of the series, such as first-person exploration, atmospheric environments, scanning mechanics, progression via upgrades, Morph Ball traversal, etc. However, several brand new features have been confirmed for the game, some of which have serious implications for its gameplay.

Metroid Prime 4 Beyond Samus Aran Galactic Federation Trooper Fire

What fans can expect Metroid Prime 4user gameplay:

First-person exploration and action
Scan Visor allows players to scan enemies, flora/fauna, items, and lore
Morph Ball ability
Traditional weapons like Samus' cannon, rockets, etc.
Psychic powers that allow Samus to manipulate objects, bend beam trajectories, and interact with alien mechs
A motorcycle named Vi‑0‑La Samus can be used to traverse larger environments
Mouse-style control support on Nintendo Switch 2

While the return of the classics Metroid Prime mechanics must resonate with longtime fans of the series, adding new features like Samus' Psychic powers and the Vi-0-La motorcycle should take it up a few notches. Samus's New Psychic Powers v Metroid Prime 4 are likely tied to the franchise's iconic puzzle-solving gameplay, while the addition of the motorcycle pretty much means a much larger environment for players to traverse.

Clearly, Metroid Prime 4: Beyond is gearing up for a strong return to one of Nintendo's most beloved franchises, combining what many gamers loved about its gameplay with new innovations in modern gameplay and visuals. At one point, fans waited years for its release with no end in sight. Now they are finally just days away.