Metroid Prime 4 Faces Potential Delay Amid Reports It’s Targeting Nintendo’s Next-Gen Switch

Headline:
Metroid Prime 4 Faces Potential Delay Amid Reports It’s Targeting Nintendo’s Next-Gen Switch

Subheading:
Insider Claims Game "Still Isn’t Finished" as London Underground Ad Blunder Fuels Speculation

After seven years of radio silence, cryptic teases, and one high-profile development reboot, Metroid Prime 4 remains one of gaming’s most elusive sequels. Now, a new report suggests fans may need to brace for another setback—and possibly even a platform shift to Nintendo’s rumored "Switch 2."

According to prominent gaming leaker @KiwiTalkz, who has a track record of accurate Nintendo insights, Metroid Prime 4 "still isn’t finished" and is "nowhere near release." The report speculates that Retro Studios—the game’s developer since 2019—may be retooling the project for Nintendo’s next-generation console, expected to launch in late 2024 or early 2025. If true, this would push the game’s release to at least 2025, a full eight years after its initial E3 2017 announcement.

The timing couldn’t be more awkward for Nintendo. Just last week, the company scrambled to fix a promotional blunder in London’s Underground stations, where ads for the Metroid Prime series mistakenly declared, "Metroid Prime 4 Out Now!" Commuters quickly shared images of the error online, forcing Nintendo to issue corrections. Video Games Chronicle confirmed that Nintendo updated the ads within 24 hours, replacing the text with a generic "Game of the Year" tagline for Metroid Prime Remastered. While the incident was likely a logistical mix-up, it amplified frustrations over the sequel’s endless limbo.

Why the Delay?

Industry analysts point to multiple factors:

Technical Ambition: Metroid Prime 4 is expected to leverage cutting-edge visuals and physics, straining the current Switch’s hardware.
Development Turbulence: After Nintendo scrapped the original build by Bandai Namco in 2019, Retro Studios (creators of the original trilogy) restarted from scratch.
Next-Gen Strategy: With the Switch nearing its eighth year, Nintendo may prioritize launching the game as a flagship title for its successor.

Fan Reactions: Hope vs. Fatigue

On social media, reactions are split. Some fans argue delaying the game for next-gen hardware ensures it "won’t be held back." Others lament Nintendo’s silence, noting that the last official update was a 2019 apology video announcing the reboot. "At this point, I’ll believe it when I see it," tweeted one longtime Metroid supporter.

Nintendo has yet to comment on the latest rumors. For now, Metroid Prime 4 remains a ghost—a game everyone’s heard of, but no one can touch. If the reports hold, Samus Aran’s next mission might not begin until the next era of Nintendo hardware.

What’s Next?
All eyes are on Nintendo’s upcoming Direct presentations. If Metroid Prime 4 misses a potential June showcase, expectations of a cross-gen or next-gen release will only grow louder. Until then, the wait continues—and so does the speculation.

For the latest updates, follow our gaming news hub @KiwiTalkz and VGC’s coverage.

I know Metroid fans are getting impatient but the reason there is no release date is because the game isn't finished.

If after the next direct there is no specific date I will elaborate on what is going on to ease peoples fears, be patient a little longer, it is coming! https://t.co/49QxtTJS9H
— Reece “Kiwi Talkz” Reilly (@kiwitalkz) July 23, 2025