Metroid Prime 4 was first unveiled back in 2017. At every Nintendo Direct, E3, and other big gaming event since then, fans have been hoping to hear more about the next entry in the Metroid series. While fans have been growing less patient with the development saga around Metroid Prime 4, Nintendo has attempted to tide fans over by updating Metroid Dread, which has returned players to Samus’ iconic suit and the side-scrolling style reminiscent of the first entries in the series. Only releasing in late 2021, Metroid Dread has rapidly become the best-selling entry in the series.
With it being so long since Metroid Prime 4 was first announced, some fans believe that the game could be on its way fairly shortly. However, recent job listings at Retro Studios, the company that took over the development of Metroid Prime 4 after Bandai Namco, may suggest otherwise. The developer is hiring for both a Senior Concept Artist and an Environmental Designer. The Senior Concept artist is tasked with designing worlds and characters, while the Environmental Designer will have responsibilities revolving around implementing “proxy environments that accurately communicate intent.”
Both of these listing imply that Metroid Prime 4 is a long way off, with worlds and characters being things that are often designed early on in the development cycle of a title. Considering Retro Studios is currently not working on any other titles, it seems unlikely that these listings will not be focused on the creation of Metroid Prime 4. The last release Retro Studios had was Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze which came to the Switch in 2018.
Back in February, fans were already coming to terms with the likelihood that Metroid Prime 4 was still a long way from completion. Some fans even think that whenever the game is ready, it should be re-revealed, as it has likely changed from the initial vision Bandai Namco had when it was working on the game. New job listings for Retro Studios have been popping up since the beginning of 2022, meaning that while work is still ongoing for Metroid Prime 4, it’s likely still in its early stages.
Some fans even think that Metroid Prime 4 should ditch its original title and market itself similarly to the new Witcher game. While being referred to as The Witcher 4, the next entry in the saga will seemingly be disconnected from the original trilogy of games. Considering the decisive ending of Metroid Prime 3, many fans are considering why the next game would aim for a direct continuation.
Metroid Prime 4 is currently in development for the Nintendo Switch.
