Beyond Fits on the timeline

Nintendo has officially shared where Metroid Prime 4: Beyond falls into the overarching timeline of the franchise and vacates the position of the latest game in the series. The long-awaited return Metroid Prime the series brought many changes to the franchise's standard formula, between Samus' new psychic powers and the open-world environment for players to explore. Metroid Prime 4: Beyond features a massive desert hub within the franchise's new world, allowing players to traverse the desert and collect resources while navigating various Viewros environments. Metroid Prime 4: Beyond also brought some new elements to the development of his story.

Metroid Prime 4: BeyondThe game's premise, while following similar rhythms to past games, makes some significant changes in its development. The game introduces a new supporting character in Mylesi Mackenzie, who helps Samus establish a base camp on Viewros to explore the undocumented planet. Samus also got some new means of transportation in the game, piloting the Vi-O-La motorcycle to navigate the vast deserts of Viewros. Now Nintendo has officially confirmed where Metroid Prime 4: Beyond fits into the overall timeline of the series.

Metroid Prime 4: Tips and Tricks for Beginners

With such a long gap between posts, old and new players alike may need help getting started with Metroid Prime 4: Beyond.

Timeline of the Metroid franchise

Metroid/Metroid: Zero Mission
Metroid Prime
Metroid Prime Hunters
Metroid Prime 2: Echoes
Metroid Prime 3: Corruption
Metroid Prime: The Force of the Federation
Metroid 2: Return of Samus/Metroid: Samus Returns
Super Metroid
Metroid: Another M
Metroid Prime 4: Beyond
Metroid Fusion
Metroid Dread

A recent statement by Nintendo in the popular gaming publication Famitsu fully revealed where Metroid Prime 4 takes place in the franchise. It was revealed by Nintendo Metroid Prime 4: Beyond is placed after Super Metroid in the Samus overarching story, but especially before 2002 Metroid Fusion. Nintendo has brought it back Metroid Prime 4: Beyond takes place in “another dimension” and does not affect the timeline of the 2D games in the series. The studio also has a bill Metroid Prime 4: Beyond as a fresh start to the franchise that new players can jump into without having any previous experience with it Metroid Prime games.

Metroid Prime 4: BeyondThe long-awaited release comes after the game went through a tumultuous development cycle. For was first announced in 2017, not long after the original Switch release, with Bandai Namco Studios originally working on the game. The information was relatively weak Metroid Prime 4development for the first two years under Bandai Namco before it was revealed that game development would be handed over to Retro Studios. Metroid Prime 4: Beyond underwent a complete reboot under Retro Studios and spent the next six years in development before its eventual release in December 2025.

Metroid Prime 4: Big Changes didn't see a glowing reception

While Metroid Prime 4: Beyond was one of Nintendo's most anticipated games of the year, the game didn't land as well as the developer had hoped. Reception until Metroid Prime 4 It was largely mixed among fans and critics, particularly regarding the game's new NPC companions and open world segments. The aforementioned Myles Mackenzie was a particularly sour spot for many fans, as players felt he didn't fit the overall feel of the franchise. Metroid Prime 4: Beyond ranked first on the North American eShop during Switch 2's launch week, while performing well in other regions.

Despite its lackluster early reception, Metroid Prime 4 experimented with a lot of bold new elements for the franchise. Metroid Prime 4The wildly popular psychic abilities were a particularly popular aspect of the game, complimenting the unique application of Samus' new tools. The actual dungeon environments were also a hit with fans and critics, with each setting retaining them Metroid Prime the sense of isolation offered by the franchise amidst more frantic action sequences. Metroid Prime 4: Beyondwhile it's not a perfect game, it looks like it's a fresh take on a franchise that's pushing Metroid a bold new direction.