Nintendo Still Has Metroid Prime 4 Down as a Switch Game

Nintendo has outlined upcoming Nintendo Switch exclusives and still lists the long-absent Metroid Prime 4 as a Switch game.

As part of its latest financial report (which show sales and profits boosted by Tears of the Kingdom and The Super Mario Bros. Movie), Nintendo listed all the upcoming and announced games coming to the Nintendo Switch.

Notably, the list includes Metroid Prime 4 (which still carries a “temp” title and ‘TBA’ release date). Here’s the list in full:

• Detective Pikachu Returns 10/6/2023
• Super Mario Bros. Wonder 10/20/2023
• WarioWare: Move It! 11/3/2023
• Super Mario RPG 11/17/2023
• Luigi’s Mansion: Dark Moon (temp.) 2024
• Princess Peach will star as the main character in a brand new game (temp.) 2024
• Metroid Prime 4 (temp.) TBA

Metroid Prime 4 has suffered a tumultuous development since it was announced three years ago. Development was restarted in 2019 with the help of Retro Studios, developer of the original Metroid Prime games. At the time, Nintendo said it took the decision because the fourth entry “has not reached the standards we seek in a sequel to the Metroid Prime series”. While not confirmed by Nintendo, Eurogamer reported Metroid Prime 4 was being developed by Bandai Namco Studios Singapore.

Nintendo has been silent on Metroid Prime 4 ever since, leading some to speculate the game was either in development hell or had switched focus to launch on the Switch’s next-gen successor, rumoured to launch late in 2024.

Metroid Prime 4 failed to show up during June’s Nintendo Direct, but given Nintendo itself still lists the game as a Switch title, perhaps the company plans to re-reveal it later in 2023 as its final Nintendo Switch game and a next-gen console launch title, much like Breath of the Wild was the last Wii U game from Nintendo as well as a Switch launch title.

Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at [email protected] or confidentially at [email protected].