Unless you've been fast asleep since last week, you've probably already heard the news that the development of Metroid Prime 4 is being entirely restarted. Nintendo issued an official statement on the game's progress last Friday, telling us that Retro Studios would now be working on the title and apologising for what will be a pretty lengthy delay.
With the game now being started over from the very beginning, we'd imagine it won't see a release until at least 2021/22, and possibly a couple of years later still, but it would seem that not everyone has received this particular message. Despite being among the first to open up pre-orders for the game when it was first announced a couple of years ago, major worldwide retailer Amazon seems to be offering very mixed messages concerning the product's release.
On the US version of the site, Amazon still has the game listed under a generic 31st December 2019 release date, put in place in response to Nintendo's original "2019" estimate with pre-orders still fully intact despite the product essentially being put on hold. Things get weirder still on the UK site, where the game has two separate listings - one saying that it will be released on 28th December 2018 (which has already been and gone, obviously) and another saying the year 2030.
Hopefully it goes without saying that any pre-orders made for Metroid Prime 4 will absolutely not be fulfilled by those dates (well, apart from the 2030 option we hope). It could be well over a year before Nintendo even talks about it again, so it might be best to ignore any purchasing options for now.
If you haven't already, make sure to let us know how you feel about the Metroid Prime 4 delay on our Talking Point feature. You can always leave us a quick comment below, too!
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[source amazon.com]
Comments 72
Still bummed. Hopefully they have some form of good news for something this week.
Human lifespan begins to be a factor for fans of certain series.
Get on the treadmill if you want to find out what happens next!
@atomicjuicer lol. This is for our fellow friends in USA.
I'm worried now, this was going to be one of Nintys big hitters, but since MP4 is not doing this year what other major titles have they got up their sleeve??? I know there's lots coming but... Please say a remade prime trilogy is coming lol
Protip: don't choose the 2030 option, the game will released way before then, and you will end up waiting almost a decade
Never played Metroid prime so I really hope that Nintendo ports the older games to switch
@NintyNate
The biggest is Pokemon, the other ones are Fire Emblem and Bayonetta.
I might be forgetting some.
@NintyNate Animal Crossing and Pokemon are the heavy hitters this year. I don't think MP4 was ever planned for 2019, maybe 2020. Might see Prime Trilogy, though they may delay announcing/releasing that for another year to put it a little closer to MP4.
I don’t think I even remember seeing any evidence that MP4 was even planned for this year. And that Liam Robinson chap has alluded to the game not even being planned for this year.
I’m sure there are many games due out this year and that the whole schedule wasn’t poised on the release of this one game...
But then it is Nintendo
This is just a prime example of amazon
Seems to me the normal woes of a big company, as people and templates change. This will be cleaned up closer to the hard release date.
This is no different than what EB does here in Australia. They put up preorders, with TBC dates, and placeholder prices on things that are rumoured to be released. The best one was when you could preorder Beyond Good and Evil 2 for the Switch after last years E3.😂
I still get my Best Buy preorder update emails for MP4 and Pokémon Switch. Got one again last week, as if nothing had changed.
I sighed, then LOLed.
@atomicjuicer @Tirza Yes, we Americans do love a good threadmill
In other news; MP4 delayed, Nintendooooomed
@KingdomHeartsFan Both games have a late 2019 release window. They might be delayed, but I severely doubt it. Let's Go was officially announced in May 2018 and released Nov 2018. Pokemon doesn't leave long between announcement and release. The fact they mentioned the 2019 rpg last year was unusual, but warranted based on the reaction to Let's Go. They also never miss a holiday release, and I don't remember a main series game ever being delayed once it had a launch window. As for Animal Crossing, there's no reason yet to think they'll miss their intended release window. I expect announcements and info for AC will follow a similar pattern to Smash - feature at E3 with multiple directs leading up to that fall release.
https://ebgames.com.au/any/any?q=Metroid%20Prime%204%20(Working%20Title)
EB has it as TBC for 2019.
@ottospooky I agree, I don't think the release schedule was poised on this one game. But I think they may have intended to show something in a direct about now and it left a big hole in that. There's been a January direct every year since 2013 except for 2016, which was the last January of the Wii-U, so they had nothing to say. To me MP4's delay announcement seems related to the lack of a January direct. Might see a short or cobbled together direct soon anyway, but if MP4 was supposed to feature I imagine they're scambling to make it work.
The crashing of MP4.exe was so great that it will require a decade to recover XD
Just wrote a comment about how it couldn't possibly take until 2022 then realised it's already 2019 and I'm an old man.
Good. I don’t want to lose my preorder price.
As a matter of principle, I never preorder a game or console until an actual release date is nailed down. I don't care if the release date slips a little, as long as an actual date is announced, I will preorder it.
But a vague window like "launch day," "launch window," "20xx," "Spring/Summer/Fall/Winter/Holiday 20xx," etc., I don't rush out to preorder it yet.
In the year 20XX...
Hahaha, 2030, hahaha hahaha hahaha! Clearly someone at Amazon has a wicked dark sense of humour!!! I don't know if Amazon will even be around in 2030. But I know Nintendo and Metroid Prime 4 will be around in 2030.
In fact probably Metroid Prime 6 will release in 2030.
Any predictions for what console gaming will be like in 2030?
@Zach777 What do you mean? That is good news! It means Nintendo isn't shoving out a ,mjhgfghjk game just to meet a deadline (cough Sonic 06 cough), and are instead making sure they have an amazing experience for all their fans. It is a bit of a bummer, but in the end it's great news
@NintyNate Well, we never had confirmation it was coming this year. So we really have no idea how far out the delay actually is
Metroid Prime 4:
The story of Life Depleter Choot, and elderly Zebesian leech and bloodsucking accountant visited by Samus of past, present, and future.
Release Date: To Be Redetermined.
@NintyNate I'm not that concerned. 2019 is bringing the next generation Pokemon game for Switch, and of course Animal Crossing. Both of those titles are going to be major releases for Nintendo this year.
@NoxAeturnus they better give us Prime Trilogy. Maybe another Metroid game we don't know about??? ... Still want a new F-ZERO as it's been like 15 years haha and a new Starfox
@DarthFoxMcCloud I can't stand Pokémon and animal crossing is not my thing but don't know lol ... Need more games!
@NintyNate you have plenty of full price ports to choose from lol
In a surprise twist it was all a swerve and is available right now! after a direct next week.
Nintendo never said it was coming in 2019. They never once gave a launch window
I'm fairly sure it'll at least be out by 2030.
@IkeBoi
The full scope of your “great news”.
1) Nintendo has wasted one and a half years of people/time/finance resources to trash all the Metroid Prime 4 work. That’s bad.
2) Retro Studios has wasted 6 years doing what could perceptually be “nothing” except porting over DKCTF to Switch.
3) Inevitably they (Retro Studios) are now roped into Metroid Prime 4 to save Nintendo’s bad one year and a half decision.
4) Consumers, though potentially benefitting from this change will ultimately wait X amount of years and possibly have to buy another system in order to “one day” play Metroid Prime 4.
5) Nintendo has to humble itself to make this announcement and has yet to put any form of scope for 2019. Radio silence (all save for Yoshi’s Crafted World announced on their news tab on Switch).
Psh, amatuer Amazon. Be like GameStop and tell people you have it in stock today!
@Zach777 2019 scope, we know Fire Emblem, Machina, Yoshi, and the bigbigbig ones Animal Crossing and Pokemon are on tap.
Unknown, Bayo 3, Luigi's Mansion 3.
And it's unlikely MP4 will take more than 4 years in development. Switch will still be current by then, albeit, it could be a dual release like BotW and Twilight Princess.
@NEStalgia I’ll buy Luigi off that list.
@Zach777 Metroid isn’t a top priority for Nintendo unfortunately. A lazy port of Super Mario 3D World will outsell Metroid.
@NEStalgia
We know Yoshi is March 29th.
Everything else is not nailed down and subject to delay/further development.
@WOLF13
Yes and that’s so unfortunate. One solid Metroid game could revolutionize how consumers view Metroid.
@Zach777 We've seen gameplay demo work for FE and Machina, they're a sure bet. Nothing for AC yet, that could be a delay setup. Pokemon. Never. Misses. They hit their holiday target one way or another. Mostly because they play it safe, and you know it's in the Let's Go engine
Luigi's probably been done for years. Bayo is pending...wouldn't doubt a delay there. Of course there's also SMTV in Japan...maybe in the West? Not 1st party, but exclusive.
@NEStalgia
We’ll see how it plays out when Nintendo finally decides to break silence... someday.
@WOLF13 nah I'm good 😜
@KingdomHeartsFan Animal Crossing and Pokemon releasing in 2019 is not an assumption, because both games were labeled as releasing in 2019 in their announcements/trailers. Unless they're delayed, people assuming Animal Crossing and Pokemon will release in 2019 is reasonable because that's what Nintendo has told the public - regardless of whether or not they currently have a specific release date. And yes, they could be delayed, but I think that's unlikely and as of right now I'm operating under the assumption that Nintendo's marketing is correct. These two games are coming this year.
MP4 is a different story - people who thought it would release in 2019 were absolutely making an assumption, since Nintendo only ever showed a trailer with no indication of release date, year or otherwise. The same applies to Bayonetta 3; as far as I know they've never mentioned any possible release year, window, or specific date for that game either.
@Tirza Are you saying I'm fat?
@NoxAeturnus
2019 was never confirmed, you are correct. The disappointment for me is that it’s starting completely over. Nintendo doesn’t put their A team on Metroid... or this would never have happened.
While I’m going to buy Luigi, nothing in Nintendo’s lineup has me excited. I’d love to see a new innovative IP. I’d love to see an older franchise taken to the next level. Nintendo could say they are done with the Switch and it really wouldn’t matter to me at this point. I don’t count on Nintendo anymore for games. I expect 1-2 great games from them a year and unfortunately for me, Smash was that game last year. I liked the last animal crossing but I can’t see me getting invested again for what I’m guessing is an HD ultimate version of the last game. Yoshi will probably be a solid “7” which doesn’t compete with other games on other systems. I’m hoping Luigi wows me.
@WOLF13 What, you won't be spending the next 6 months playing Fitness Boxing? Joking aside, your disappointment seems like a matter of taste. I'm personally excited for Fire Emblem, Luigi, and Pokemon, maybe DxM. Animal Crossing is not my thing, but it will be a big release for them. You're right that Metroid is treated like a niche franchise, which is unfortunate because it fills a genre hole in their portfolio. However, it's never been a huge sales success and they're making bank on other things, so I guess I can't really say they're wrong. I wouldn't completely rule out one or two surprise announcements, but whether or not they'll be to your taste is questionable.
@NoxAeturnus oh I agree it’s my personal preference. I love Zelda, Mario, Mario Kart etc. Millions love Pokémon and Animal crossing but I’d rather play something else. Metroid isn’t going to sell as many as some of their ports, so I get it. But the best Nintendo games last year were Moss and Astrobot.
Can I get an order in at Best Buy while I still have Gamer’s Club?
This is Nintendo’s version of final fantasy 7 remake for Sony
I want Amazon to keep my pre-order i got it for an amazing deal.
Maybe a lot of what was already produced can still be used (assets etc). Maybe it’s just the story / sequence of events that has been re-started (like how A New Hope had to be re-cut)
@Gerald If the rumor regarding Retro approaching Nintendo is true, they may well have a start on their own assets for it, but I don't see them using the assets for Bamco's build considering Ninty were so displeased with their concept, it led to giving the keys to Retro.
At this point, best case scenario is that Retro did indeed pitch Nintendo.
@onex
Retro have the same people that worked on it before ? It’s been so long I’m guessing most have moved on.
I wish Nintendo would just sell the franchise.
Metroid has never been hugely popular in Japan so I feel like that has something to do with it
@WOLF13 No, the majority of those devs moved onto Armature, the studio responsible for ReCore for Xbox, which from what I can tell was average at best? However, Retro has since put out two excellent DK games, and they've been hiring a whole host of new talent, which is most likely comprised of Metroid Prime fans, meaning they are passionate about the franchise and willing to do a new entry proper justice. So just because the OG devs of the Prime Trilogy have moved on, that doesn't necessarily mean MP4 is dead in the water (or that those OG devs are flawless). Especially if the aforementioned rumor is true. I'd rather a dev studio with a high pedigree work on a beloved project than a studio with spotty track record, wouldn't you?
Hope they honor our grandfathered "Amazon Prime Discount" in 2030 😂😅
@onex never said it was dead in the water. But It’s a legitimate question to ask about a studio that hasn’t released anything in 5 years. And 12 years since Metroid Prime 3. But again, Metroid isn’t a priority for Nintendo. More people on Switch would rather pay full price for Super Mario deluxe than Metroid 4.
In terms of waiting eons Metroid Prime 4 is the new Kingdom Hearts 3....... cries
Since I made my preorder while Amazon Prime still gave video game discounts I don't mind.
Looks like Samus didn't get the memo that Daemon X Machina is coming in hot to kick the cr@p out of the gaping sci-fi shaped hole in Nintendo's first party lineup.
Those dates mean nothing.. they are just placeholders until a real date is announced.. this happens all the time with amazon and other companies too.. like Best Buy..
@Rect_Pola I agree if they cancel preorders I’d be upset..I have a discounted price
The more important matter at hand is... will it release before or after the new F-Zero?!
Amazon and eBay are hell holes for placeholder dates, wanting nothing more but money, money, and, well, money.
@RandomLeo00 daemon x mechina.doom eternal,wolfenstein young blood,luigis mansion 3,mortal kombat 11 and plenty of rpg/fighting games as well.
Didn't get the memo on tax either.
Animal Crossing and Mortal Kombat 11 releases this year. I’ll be fine along with my backlog of games lol.
@PrincessBowsette
Luigi's Mansion was the one I forgot, the rest are third party and Daemon x machina is a new IP ( so it's not a heavy hitter yet, it's also not directly from Nintendo or it's second party studios).
@KingdomHeartsFan I think you're being unnecessarily cynical, or at the very least overly pedantic about having a specific release date. Even with a real release date games get delayed. I get your point - people do overhype for games and then make crazy assumptions like MP4 will be released in 2019, or Bayonetta 3 will be. But arguing against Animal Crossing and Pokemon hitting this year seems like arguing against the tide. Animal Crossing was announced for a 2019 release, unless they announce a delay it's not overhyping and it's totally reasonable to assume it will release this year and based on the previous sales of the franchise that it will be a heavy hitter and therefore a fall release. Pokemon 2019 was announced as a new main series Pokemon RPG to mollify fans of the series who were disappointed with Let's Go. If that game gets delayed it will be unprecedented. Pokemon ALWAYS hits its Christmas season mark, and it's NEVER been delayed after it's been announced. There's no reason to think it will be this time either - they're almost certainly using the Let's Go engine for it, so it's not like they're inventing it from the ground up. Honestly, Animal Crossing and Pokemon are the only two games I feel we can be sure are coming this year. Getting overhyped about Luigi, Bayonetta, and others are setups for disappointment, because those games truly have no release information whatsoever.
Give us MP trilogy, or port xenoblade X or WW/TP HD in its place please.
If Pikmin 4 does not come out this year, I will throw a rock at a duck
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