Metroid Prime 4 Isn't 'Out Now' After All, But Its Release…

Metroid Prime 4: Beyond is nearing the end of a long and arduous journey, releasing on Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2 sometime in 2025. And it seems that journey is coming to an end sooner rather than later. Metroid Prime 4 was originally announced at E3 2017, 8 years ago, but its development was restarted in early 2019. This set the game back, but now an ad mistakenly reported the game was "out now."

At the Oxford Circus Station in London, fans noticed there was a new Metroid Prime 4: Beyond ad that listed the game as "out now." Except it clearly isn't. How and why this happened is up for speculation, but many believe it was a sticker issue, an editing issue, or some other mistake in the creation and distribution of the poster. However, it could interestingly point to a few potential developments around Metroid Prime 4: Beyond's release date.

Metroid Prime 4 is Giving Samus Psychic Powers and a New Suit

A new Metroid Prime 4: Beyond trailer sees Samus trapped on a mysterious planet, where she gains some psychic powers and a new armor suit.

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By J Brodie Shirey

The Context: Nintendo Switch 2 Needs Games

The recent release of the Nintendo Switch 2 is nothing short of a success, and the console is a solid improvement over its predecessor. However, one common criticism leveraged against it is that it has a limited selection of exclusive games. Mario Kart World is a huge draw, but it is only one game. Donkey Kong Bananza comes out soon, but the console is seriously lacking in the "new department." That said, there are plenty of Nintendo Switch 2 games coming out in July and, hopefully, beyond. Games like Pokemon Legends: Z-A and Metroid Prime 4 are not exclusive to the Switch 2, but new games that play better on it are at least a stronger draw than just a couple exclusives.

Plot Summary: Samus Aran, surviving the destruction of the Phazon, finds herself on the planet Viewros. Her survival depends on her ability to confront new enemies, as well as old rivals like the bounty hunter Sylux. Metroid Prime 4 introduces psychic powers as its focal gameplay system, which lets Samus operate mechanisms, solve puzzles, and even guide shots.

Metroid Prime 4 Release Date Announcement is Probably Coming Soon

Metroid Prime 4: Beyond releases on Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2 in 2025, and barring any delay, that announcement logically has to come soon. There are only six months left in the year. It stands to reason that Nintendo wants all the attention on games as they launch, including the focus on the Switch 2, Mario Kart World, and its now-shifting marketing toward Donkey Kong Bananza. The same can be said for Pokemon Legends: Z-A in October. This narrows down the release date a little, but there's still a lot of open months for it to release.

But, couple the fact that 2025 is closer to the end than the start with this clear marketing material, and an announcement seems to be inbound. Whatever the plan was, the fact that such a large ad was made and such a mistake slipped through makes it seem like Nintendo is in the hustle and bustle of an upcoming marketing strategy. It's also hard to ignore how plenty of 2025 Switch 2 games would have served better as a launch title, which Metroid Prime 4 would have been perfect for, but ultimately it has to be nearing the end of its development too. Simply put, for whatever reason this ad exists, it's clear that Metroid Prime 4 is pretty confident in its release. The announcement has to come sooner rather than later ultimately.

Metroid Prime 4's Release Date Could Be Smoke and Mirrors

Of course, that assumes there is an announcement of Metroid Prime 4: Beyond's release date to begin with. If the theory that the ad was going to swap between '2025" and "out now" was right, that suggests an intention to change it quickly. It would be no surprise if the ad didn't change for a few days after the fact, however, but some coordination and flexibility could suggest a shadow drop was going to happen. Shadow drops, or sudden unannounced releases, are rare and risky, but if any company can mitigate that risk, it's the Big N.

Shadow drops, when done right, can absolutely work. Oblivion: Remastered shadowdropped to a wonderful reception, Apex Legends shadowdropped and shifted the entire battle royale genre, and Hi-Fi Rush shadowdropped and became an instant cult classic. More importantly, Metroid Prime Remastered shadowdropped in February 2023 to stellar reviews. It's enough to consider that Nintendo wants to capture lightning in a bottle twice, making a sudden release for Metroid Prime 4 more plausible than ever before.

Ultimately, this ad is a reinforcement of Metroid Prime 4: Beyond's 2025 release date. When and how can be speculated upon all day, but no one outside Nintendo and the development studio know when that is. Hype remains high, which speaks to the popularity of the franchise since many fans have been eagerly awaiting since 2017.

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