Beyond, but it's almost here – and here's what you should know

It has been 18 years since its release Metroid Prime 3: Corruptionbut the launch of the beloved series' next entry is just around the corner. Launching on December 4, Metroid Prime 4: Beyond is one of the most anticipated 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 impresses fans and critics when it launches remains to be seen, but at least the next one Metroid Prime the game is finally almost here.

Metroid Prime 4s development history goes back several years, and it can be considered a poster child for overcoming development hell – an increasingly current circumstance in the industry. But after making it through a massive studio change and a complete reboot, Metroid Prime 4 overcame the odds and is set to arrive very soon with its renewed ambitions on full display.

Metroid Prime 4's development history goes back several 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 restarted and been handed over to Retro Studios (the original Prime developer).
June 18, 2024: The game is revealed once again with its 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: Demos and final previews appear; file size, Switch 2 technical modes go public.

Some Metroid Prime 4: Beyond fans can try the game early

Early announcements and high expectations

When Metroid Prime 4 first announced via a teaser trailer during the Nintendo Direct presentation at E3 2017, it had already been nearly a full decade since the launch of its predecessor, Metroid Prime 3: Corruption. The teaser created intense excitement among fans who had been waiting for news of another Metroid Prime game since last, although nothing concrete was revealed in the trailer. At that time, Metroid Prime 4 was described by Nintendo as a “first-person adventure that harkens back to the roots of the original Metroid Prime,” with series producer Kensuke Tanabe leading its production, and that it would be released “beyond 2017.” There was finally hope for a series that was considered dead and gone.

Development issues and reboots

Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime said so in 2018 Metroid Prime 4 was “well into development” and “progressing well” with Bandai Namco Studios at the helm, but the game was not shown at E3 that year, leading to concerns that something was amiss. Sure enough, in January 2019 it was announced that the development of Metroid Prime 4 had restarted under Retro Studios with Tanabe retaining his position as the game's producer. The reason, according to Nintendo's EPD head Shinya Takahashi, was that the previous studio did not meet Nintendo's standards.

Re-emergence and ramp-up

Development issues with any game can be demoralizing, though Metroid Prime 4 however, trucking continued until it received a full trailer on June 18, 2024, during a Nintendo Direct presentation. The trailer that now gives the long-awaited game the subtitle Beyondshowed off games and footage that was more than enough for everyone but guarantees its imminent arrival and eases worries for 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 it was announced in 2017.

2025 then rolled into the picture, and Metroid Prime 4: Beyond gave even more reveals to whet fans' appetites. A new trailer was unveiled in March 2025, introducing new gameplay footage, the planet Viewros, Samus' psychic powers, and more. During the Nintendo Switch 2 unveiling in April, Nintendo also announced that the game would receive a Switch 2 Edition with upgraded graphics and optional mouse controllers for the Joy-Con. Finally, at a Nintendo Direct event in September, a new trailer locked in a December 4th release date for Metroid Prime 4along with footage of Samus riding a motorcycle through a desert environment.

Metroid Prime 4 Beyond - Survive trailer screenshot

What we know about Metroid Prime 4: Beyond

Platforms and release

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

World and Story Setup

Metroid Prime 4 Green Fury foggy view scenery

The story of Metroid Prime 4: Beyond takes place on the brand new alien planet Viewros, which has never been mentioned in Metroid lore before. The game begins with Samus Aran responding to an attack on a Galactic Federation 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 filled with hostile fauna, alien ruins, and expansive natural biomes. So far, the following biomes have been confirmed:

A forest biome
An ice/frozen biome
A lava/volcanic biome
A desert biome

Features and mechanics

Metroid Prime 4: Beyond will stick to the series' core roots of 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 heavy gameplay implications.

Metroid Prime 4 Beyond Samus Aran Galactic Federation Trooper Fire

What fans can expect from Metroid Prime 4s 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 arm cannon, missiles etc.
Psychic powers that allow Samus to manipulate objects, bend beam paths, and interact with alien mechanisms
Motorcycle called Vi-0-La Samus can be used to traverse larger environments
Support for mouse control on Nintendo Switch 2

While the return of classic Metroid Prime mechanics are sure to resonate with longtime fans of the series, the addition of new features like Samus' Psychic powers and Vi-0-La motorcycle should take things up a notch. Samus new psychic powers in Metroid Prime 4 are likely tied to the franchise's iconic puzzle-solving gameplay, while the addition of a motorcycle greatly means much larger environments for players to traverse.

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