
With Super Smash Bros. Ultimate dominating much of the Nintendo Direct at E3 2018, there wasn't much room for any other big first-party announcements, but there's one game you definitely won't be hearing from over the next few days - Metroid Prime 4.
In a recent interview with Game Informer, senior product marketing manager for Nintendo America Bill Trinen and localisation manager Nate Bihldorff confirmed that while the game is deep in development, it's not going to be showcasing its wares just yet.
"Last year was the first year for Switch at E3, so we took a bit of a departure from our usual approach to E3, which is to focus on more near-term stuff. Last year, because it was the first year for the hardware, we looked at things that were maybe a little further out. This year, you can see pretty clearly, we’re back to focusing on the near-term. We’ll have more to share with Metroid Prime 4 when we have something we think is going to wow people."
So no Metroid Prime 4 for us anytime soon. Did Nintendo announce the game too soon, or is this to be expected for such a prestigious title? Share your take with the rest of the community below...
[source gameinformer.com]
Comments 103
It's okay to have a balance, Nintendo.......
Disappointing, but fair i think. I'd rather get gameplay that wows me in a few months than something a little worse right now.
It's not hard to decide to skip something when you likely have nothing to show for said product.
At least a damn teaser trailer Nintendo!
Pissed off.. needed a trailer
Am surprised they didn’t throw a port of Metroid prime trilogy out there as a stop gap though.
Not surprising. Expect it to be one of the spotlight games next year.
@Mr_Pepperami Yeah, same.
"Nintendo Confirms Metroid Prime 4 Will Skip E3 2018
A LITTLE FREAKIN' LATE NOW DON'T YA THINK?!?!?
(All caps is for Ntinedo, not NL's reporting.)
I would have liked at least a short CGI trailer to be honest.
Smash is great but...
Hopefully there's another Direct later this year.
As much as i'm dissapointed i'm also relieved that they're not rushing it and taking their time. Which is as it should be.
Don't think they announced it too soon at all. It gives people something to look forward to.
I don't have an issue with only showing stuff that's coming this year, I'm just wondering why this year is so barren. Nintendo as a publisher has a LOT of studios, and many of those studios have multiple teams which means more than one game at a time. For the last 8 years the output has been very, VERY low. It gives the impression than quite a few studios are starting work on games and then seeing them cancelled, and get stuck in that cycle. It's almost certainly what happened to Retro.
Must not be ready yet.
NO!!!!... even CG is better than nothing - that was the punch line. Sony has this E3 in the bag.
Oh well, at least I can un-install Fortnite from my PC.
Worst Nintendo E3 Presentation Ever. Nothing that we already not knowing... Really BIG FAIL.
I didn't expect to see it. So I wasn't disappointed. This direct, I would say, was incredible for Smash fans, but it didn't have just a whole lot else...Hollow Knight is definitely something I'm interested in, and I've been waiting for the Switch version. I don't care much about Fire Emblem as much as I used to...but in all honesty I have plenty to play now.
Honestly I think they spent way too long on Smash.
Where FOUR art thou?
They should have just shown the logo again... that would have been pretty awesome.
@holygeez03 With the words "Still in development for Nintendo Switch."
This is why you never announce a game years before release.
They could have shown us something and they should have shown us something.
Didn’t expect any gameplay footage, but would have appreciated something like a 1 minute interview with the director talking about their vision or something.
Oh, well.
Aside from Smash this was a pretty disappointing year at e3.
@Flugen,
I must admit I did expect a few more reveals...but I do think Nintendo have enough titles coming to the Switch this year.
Metroid 4's absence is not a massive surprise to be honest,but I am surprised with all the leaks that we did not see what Retro have been working on.
@thesilverbrick You do when you last console failed and you want to instill enthusiasm for your rather new console.
I agree in principle, though.
Honestly, they have earned that considering Sony shows the same stuff for 2-3 E3's in a row (-Cough- Spiderman, Last of Us 2, Days Gone, etc. -Cough-). I figured it was a 2019 (at earliest) title and the fact that we got Samus Returns was a nice appetizer so I'd rather they take their time.
E3 as a whole for the big 3 (Nintendo,Sony,Microsoft) was kind of a let down. Cool gameplay shown,but for the most part very little surprise factor. Leaks may have killed E3
Was one of those hoping for a MP Trilogy HD reveal to keep us busy til more info on MP4 was revealed.
MP4 with nothing new to share this E3 is fine ... I mean, we've had 3 years in a row E3 showings for death stranding and still have no idea what 'type' of game it is.
@thesilverbrick,
All the other big third party publishers do it though,but like you said it's not really a Nintendo tradition to do this.
You also have to consider there may be a few reveals over the next few days of the Tree House streams,and of course Nintendo do have directs throughout the year...so E3 is not their only chance to give out info.
@thesilverbrick I get that people are unhappy about Metroid Prime 4 not being shown off, but at least its better then Sony's mindset at E3.
I can't tell you the number of times I've watched an awesome game being shown off at E3 and then we are told that they don't have a release date.
Plus, I think people are forgetting that unlike Sony or Microsoft, E3 is just another Direct for Nintendo, just another of several they hold per year. We will get another big Direct later in the year that might show off what people are hoping to see.
Everyone just needs to be patient.
They need more momentum, and showing games in development, even if far off, is a way to keep that going and get people more excited.
The showing soon-to-be stuff approach only works when you have so much new content coming out that you have to do that to properly pace things and keep the base focused. That is not the case here, as Nintendo's development pace is far slower than Sony or Microsoft's
There's nothing wrong with letting all of the die-hard fans know it's going to happen so they can stop worrying... but they should have confirmed that it's very far out and let everyone know that it won't be at E3 2018.
This is a huge and questionable omission. Smash, Fire Emblem, and that mech game have me going crazy, though the presentation as a whole was a little lackluster.
It makes sense really. All the other direct e3s focused on games with a short release window with focus on the holiday game. Switch e3 was pretty much a this is why you should buy the system. Now that it is selling they went back to the standard format. But that doesn’t negate all the previous directs. There is a lot of good stuff on the way this year.
I would've liked the MP trilogy too as I haven't played any of them. Would've kept me busy the rest of the year.
Not upset at them not addressing 4 at E3. Its not like that would make the game come out any faster. No biggie.
The problem with having a lackluster e3 this year for Nintendo , in my eyes is that they combine that with not releasing that many games this year so far besides indies, and ports.
We got nothing about fallout besides that shelter game , sadly
Literally the only game I really cared about this year. Sigh. Back to Zelda for another 12 months.
I understand, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't sitting waiting for something Metroid, anything Metroid. A cinematic even
@johnvboy A few more reveals means that there are SOME reveals
The games shown, where all games we already knew about them or some... budget games.
With the games we know, will Nintendo pass the 2018 holiday season??? Cause we are in mid June. in 6 Months we have Christmas and the games we know are a joke...
Tokyo game show is still to come so There's hope yet, personally found the lack of yoshi odd.
@Agramonte the garbage bag?
(I kid of course)
@frabbit That Smash Ridley reveal didn't cut(scene) it for you?
@Flugen There was Super Mario Party and that mech game. Daemon X Machina I think it was called. Besides, we saw our first looks for not just Smash, but Fire Emblem and Xenoblade DLC as well.
They made a good move showing it when they did, lest the internet throw another hissy fit if they only showed Samus Returns last year. I didn't expect it to show up this year and am confident they're taking much needed time
After seeing nothing it seems evident that we won't see it until 2020 at the earliest.
@thesilverbrick A certain game had years of hype and turned out okay. I'd post a Link to it, but I can't find one
What is the point in a CG trailer? I don’t understand. It’s been confirmed as being I. Development. You know it still is in development. I don’t understand peoples’ desire for affirmation
I didn't wait for MP4. But I wanted something at least. And... December? Seriously?
That's fair, but I'm kind of more shocked we haven't seen more of the Yoshi game.
I didn't think it would be shown.
Though it being miles away from release wouldn't have stopped Sony or Microsoft showing it. Or viewers from lapping it up.
"With Super Smash Bros. Ultimate dominating much of the Nintendo Direct at E3 2018, there wasn't much room for any other big first-party announcements"
Umm....there was plenty of room...
@KoopaTheGamer
1. Super Mario Party is not a triple A Franchise. Is a weird kid/family party game.
2. OK That Mech game looked good.
3. A DLC of a game is not a thing to shine your E3 Presentation
4. Smash was a game we already knew would come.
5. Fire Emblem is not a triple A Franchise. It was a strategy game...
Nintendo fans are the same people who not only hate CG trailers because they don’t show gameplay, but also want a CG trailer for a game that is still in development.
@Flugen,
Hate to break this to you...Nintendo are not going exclusively for the hardcore market...there are two consoles for that already available.
No doubt we will be on here around March 2019 wondering how the Switch is still so popular.
Nintendo have enough to keep the masses interested.
"With Super Smash Bros. Ultimate dominating much of the Nintendo Direct at E3 2018, there wasn't much room for any other big first-party announcements..."
More like SSBU took up nearly 30 whole minutes because they didn't have a whole lot to show, period. It's not that there wasn't room for other big announcements, but rather that there were none else to be made.
The way the presentation progressed, my hype started out at 11, then it got shoved into a trash can, which then got shot into the Grand Canyon with such force that it is now a mile deeper from the weight of the disappointment. I wasn't expecting more big things until next year anyways, but even so... Damn, that'll teach me and many other people to get all hyped up...
But yeah, for Metroid Prime 4 in particular, it would have been nice to get some kind of update, like Nintendo used to do back in the 90's every year. For example, lest we forget, Ocarina of Time got updates each year at E3 from 1996-1998 after the Space World 1995 reveal. And if you count Nintendo Power screenshots, interviews, and previews, new info was even more frequently updated than that, even. A complete 180 degree difference in handling compared to today.
I'e never understood the growing desire to be kept almost completely (or even absolutely) in the dark until the last moment on big titles. Keeping people updated is a good thing. Doesn't need to be huge every time, just show some kind of progress to generate interest. Nintendo used to understand this, and they've forgotten it. It should be easier than ever to provide updates, now that we don't have to rely on print media, but instead new info seems more elusive than ever from Nintendo.
@WaveBoy,
Which is a remake for an old game...looks good though.
Huge dissapoint, too.much on smash
@PlywoodStick,
Or listen to silly rumours....Where is Yoshi's flipping island?....or any sign of the little green dinosaur.
I have no problem with this. It will probably be a Christmas 2019 release, so let it dominate the next E3. There's no point in showing it now and making us go through 18 months of pain.
@NintyNate,
Smash bros sold 5 million copies on the Wii U...so who knows how many copies will sell on the Switch?.
@WaveBoy,
Which ever way you dress it up it's a remake,a very good looking one...but still.
@johnvboy You missed it? Yoshi's Island got revealed alongside F-Zero.
Where, you might ask? It's tucked away in the nearly 30 minute long Smash Bros presentation...
@PlywoodStick,
That crafty smash bros eating up all that stream time.
I'm really not all that disappointed by the lack of Metroid Prime 4 news. After the letdown that was Other M, I would prefer for them to take their time and deliver something truly inspired, and along the lines of Prime 1.
I'm not really disappointed by what Nintendo showed. It's what wasn't shown that is more concerning than it is disappointing:
-E3 is the place where the big guns are trotted out. I was thinking that Nintendo would roll out at least two big, system-selling titles. Smash Brothers is a big game, sure, but they're banking on everybody being a fan (I like it, but I don't know if I'll buy it).
-E3's complete and total lack of third party Switch titles really worries me. I mean, Square Enix is (thankfully) all in with one exclusive that looks awesome (Octopath) and one remaster of a game that IS awesome (if you haven't played The World Ends With You, do yourself a favor and make this a priority purchase this Fall!). Other than that? PS4/XBONE get Fallout '76 while Switch owners get a mobile game (it may be a fun title, and it may be free, but it does seem like a really weak consolation prize). EA offers Fifa 19, which will still likely be a watered down experience, and absolutely nothing else. Capcom announces games like RE2 Remake for PS4, and....did they announce anything for Switch? Ubi Soft announces Just Dance and Mario + Rayman DLC (which DOES look really good), and....that's all. With the success that third parties have been having on Switch, I was optimistic that more would be shown. Nothing big (I understand that it is a major committment to put separate teams on separate projects), but something!
Nintendo was on their way towards winning this E3, hands down! The first ten minutes were stellar, but----man, Sony killed it with three games alone (LoU2, Spiderman, and Ghosts of Tsushima).
That being said, can we all finally agree that leaks are about 98% garbage? Lol!
I'm not surprised they didn't show Metroid Prime 4 but where's Pikmin 4? That keeps bothering me as I thought the game had nearly been finished years ago.
LOL.
@BanjoPickles Exactly, 2018 is still shockingly sparse for 3rd parties on Switch compared to the others. There isn't nothing, and there's definitely good things on the horizon, but there absolutely should be more going on by now. You'd think that with the upward momentum that they'd be scrambling to get a piece of the pie, but it seems that won't be apparent until Tokyo Game Show at the earliest, maybe not even until GDC and E3 2019.
@Flugen for me it was the worst showing for a long time Nintendo had done, nothing there really appealed to me other than fortnite ......... I think Ubisoft won E3 with Sony a close 2nd, wow even EA was better than Nintendo’s
That was rubbish............ Nintendo just had nothing appealing for me no shock new announcements nor the wow factor.
@PlywoodStick
What frustrated me, throughout this E3, is how Nintendo seems to be treated like a complete outsider in the industry. I mean, the games ARE selling; in fact, LA Noire actually sold more on Switch than it did on Xbone! Realistically, I don’t expect games like Rage 2, Fallout ‘76, or Battlefront V—but when you see the developer of a game like Unraveled 2 say that it is too much to dedicate the resources to porting the game over, even though the chances are high that such a game would sell best on Switch, that’s a problem. Dark Souls Remaster launches on time for PS4 and Xbone, while Switch owners have to wait with the vague promise of a “Summer 2018” release date. Pretty much every non-Nintendo heavy hitter is avoiding Switch, and there isn’t much that isn’t an indie. Indies are good and all (I’ve downloaded my fair share), but year two should look a tad more robust than this.
And the Fallout Shelter announcement just seemed like one epic FU from Bethesda.
@johnvboy I can see that clear now...! Must buy another console...
@WaveBoy,
Yes I have...but I still do not see your point,as I said it's a good looking remake.
The puzzles made the games far more interesting imo..that being said Resident evil 4 was a blast.
I think they're avoiding talking about it as they're going to announce Metroid Prime 5 & 6, due for approx release 2022 and 2024 respectively.
Showing it now won't make it arrive any sooner.
We've got a long list of excellent games to look forward to in the short term. I just surpassed four dozen pre-ordered games right now... not even kidding. Just on the Nintendo switch lol.
What surprises me though is there were games they could've showed but just chose not to, like Yoshi, Pikmin 4 and Retros game.
I just wish Retro Studios was still working on this franchise; the new studio working on Metroid Prime 4 has me SLIGHTLY concerned.
@Mr_Pepperami THIS.
Probably a 2022 release.
Smash I'll get, super Mario party is a high chance, and this starlink only coz of fox ... But everything else was abit meh lol
@Savino "It seems no retail games for me this year, so far!
Dont care about pokemon, dont care about smash, dont care about Mario Party!"
That was my biggest problem with the Direct, no single player games for the holiday. I figured either Yoshi or Pikmin 4 would be this fall. Or something new. We did get something new with Mario Party but why release that 2 months before SSBU? If I wanted to play Pokémon Go I could, but I don't.
On the bright side, lots of old cheap games Black Friday, but that's not why I watch E3.
Nintendo and Sony should take a page out of each other's books. Sony gave us a tease of Spiderman for the THIRD YEAR IN A ROW. They need to have an E3 employee exchange program. But I'm not really miffed about anything any of the big 3 did this year, just overall rather modest across the board in general, not that there weren't big things shown(there were), but they all played things way safer than people expected.
@Savino There will be a ND in September. They will announce a SSBU Switch bundle, more Labo, some little cheap or free game like Minis on the Move, maybe a "Second Switch" bundle without the Dock, more amiibo and accessories. Maybe even a Zelda port or another Wii U port for the holiday like Mario Maker. Maybe a Zelda NotW or XC2 Complete Edition. Plus more info on the online subscription service. More info on SSBU modes like Smash Run. They'll have plenty to talk about. It might even be better than this E3. But it won't give me anything for the holidays.
I wasn't expecting this to dominate Nintendo's E3 or anything, but I was at LEAST hoping for another teaser or at least a blurb about Prime 4's development.
...But on the flip side, at least we know that the game is still in development and isn't floating in Developer Limbo. I'm happy waiting for the final product whenever it comes, but still....No mention at least?
Well hopefully we get to see something about this later down the year. I guess this will join Dragon Quest XI and Shin Megami Tensei V in 2019.
Thought it was clear that the only reason they showed it last year was so people would stop begging for it. I almost wish they'd do the same for Animal Crossing, lol.
@Savino My Switch backlog is about to get big now that it looks like Mario v Rabhids and XC2 are getting the last of their DLC. And Ys VIII releases in a few weeks. So I have games to play, just nothing new to look forward too, which is the whole point of following E3.
@JaxonH retro isn't working on any game. Also, you might be the only person in the world with 48 switch titles pre-ordered.
I don't even know if switch actually has 48 games capable of being pre-owned.
@gatorboi352
What on earth are you talking about? Of course they're working on a game. If they're not out of business and closed down (which they're not) then that means they're working on a game. They've even confirmed several times through tweets that they are working on something "delicious".
(Btw, 63 games, not 48)
Mario Tennis Aces
Team Sonic Racing
Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom
Code of Princess
Daemon X Machina (when preorder go live it's locked in)
Overcooked 2
Valkyria Chronicles 4
Octopath Traveller
Little Dragon's Cafe
Tales of Vesperia
Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate
Dark Souls Remastered
Pokémon Let's Go Pikachu/Evee
Pokémon 2019 (when preorder go live it's locked in)
Trials Rising
FIFA 19
NBA 2K19
Mutant League Football (when preorder go live it's locked in)
De Blob
Metroid Prime 4
Fire Emblem Three Houses
Super Mario Party
Victor Vran
Hyper Sports R (when preorder go live it's locked in)
Yoshi
The World Ends With You
Dragonball Fighter Z
Okami HD (JP import, hope for English)
Wolfenstein 2
Wolfenstein Youngblood
Super Smash Bros Ultimate
Captain Toad
Titan Quest
Wasteland 2
PixArk
Ark Survival Evolved
Shining Resonance Refrain
Pillars of Eternity 2
Mega Man 11
Mega Man X Collection 1 + 2
My Hero One's Justice
Sonic Mania Plus
Minecraft
GRIP
SNK Collection
Blade Strangers
SNK Heroines
God Wars Ultimate
Y's VIII
Disgaea 1 Final
V-Rally 4
Crash Bandicoot Trilogy
This Is The Police 2
Touhou Genso Wanderer
Warriors Orachi 4
Super Neptunia RPG
Crystal Crisis
Starlink: Battle For Atlas
Ninjala (when preorder go live it's locked in)
Dragon Quest Builders 2 (when preorder go live it's locked in)
Dragon Quest XI (when preorder go live it's locked in)
Shin Megami Tensei V (when preorder go live it's locked in)
No More Heroes: Travis Strikes Again
edit
For the record, I will be cancelling about 20 of these games, give or take. Some of them I can wait on. And I want to put more money into investment, less on video games. But that still leaves 40 or 45 games.
Well seems like we're getting two Nintendo triple A titles per year (not counting ports, spin-off, third parties, and new IPs). Last year was Super Mario Odyssey and Breath of the Wild, this year will be Fire Emblem: The Three Houses and Super Smash Bros. ULTIMATE. Next year should be Metroid Prime 4 and Pokemon Rainbow (working title for the new game).
@gatorboi352
Surely you are aware about the StarFox Grand Prix/Racing rumors?
It better be at E3 2019, and really, REALLY good!!
@meleebrawler that wasn't too bad. Pretty site Mario is dead...
@GraveLordXD
Hollow Knight is so good.
Presentation was meh, but like you say there is a very strong lineup regardless. What makes it so appealing though is being on a hybrid system. Dark Souls Remastered on PS4/X1? Eh. Already had that on PC. Dark Souls Remastered on Switch? Total hype.
That's what happens when you give a new studio the reigns. Should have given this to Retro and have them do what they do best.
With that said I wouldn't expect anything for a good while. If Nintendo is going to maintain their focus of a single game at each E3 it's hard to see Metroid sharing the spotlight with Pokemon next year.
E3 2019 - Pokemon
E3 2020 - Metroid
The only development they have done on this game was the title screen and players false hopes and expectations that this would be released before 2020.
@westman98 LOL. Bruh.
@Peach64 I foresee Metroid and Fire Emblem getting the Zelda treatment of constant delays. Zelda already came out and unless Aonouma pumps out a sequel, a la Majora's Mask, there won't be a follow up. This means Metroid and FE are their long term hype machines.
@getyourak I have a sneaking suspicion that Pokemon is being blown out of proportion. It's scope will likely be more in line with Colliseum and Gale of Darkness, not a grand, over-the-top Enix experience.
@Mr_Pepperami I bet they are working on it.
I can understand building up some hype, but it was practically disrespectful of Nintendo to tell fans of a uber popular game series that we are making it and here's a cool teaser 10 second vid of the Spazer symbol and the #4, but not only are you not going to see the game for (at least) 2 years, were not even going to show you or tell you anything for at least 19+ months. at least when Nintendo said their was a "Project NX", they made no promises or hints at first, but eventually they did say Zelda will be the first game and occasionally put out information, pics and scenes long before it came out, this is just ridiculous, good business is "Sell the product before you Sell the product !!!" honestly what if they screwed the game up? they could get an idea of what people did and did NOT want from the released content and make changes accordingly, the danger with hyping things up TOO much is it has a huge chance of downfall, what if the game ends up just being mediocre? well, the fact it was so hyped up means people will be too p.o.'ed and hate the game anyway, they need to stop this terrible sales tactic period
@Thorscape aren't ALL Pokemon games (card game included) always over-hyped ???, heck they put out more sequels and spin-offs than Disney, yet in reality, the games contents are not really all that big of a deal, I have seen enough content of the two new Pokemon games coming and I'm going to wait untill GameStop sells it for less than $50 used (if not less)
@retro_player_22 Honestly I wish Nintendo would also port Metroid Other M, qnd if they REALLY want to make a few extra $$$, make a Prime 1-3 collection on one cartridge also (not that bull, one game the free download the other like they are doing with other games)
I think another port people would go ape over would be to make friends with Square/Enix again and remake Super Mario RPG. the reason Nintendo has never ported or re-released it is Square owns partial rights to the game and Nintendo screwed them out of some things so Square has never been nice about letting it out again, they make other games for Nintendo systems, but they say they will never make another WITH Nintendo, that sucks because they both made such an awesome game, I can't even imagine what a graphically, gameplay and contentually updated version would be like (ok, I'm lying, I can imagine, all the more reason why Nintendo and Square need to make friends !!! >
Show Comments
Leave A Comment
Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment...