It's been just over a year since Nintendo announced it had restarted the development of Metroid Prime 4. Since then, Retro Studios has been recruiting like no tomorrow.
Now, according to VGC, the Texas-based studio has hired DICE's art director Jhony Ljungstedt. He's helped with the art direction for multiple EA blockbusters, including Mirrors Edge Catalyst, Battlefield V, Medal of Honor, and even expansion packs like Battlefield 3: Close Quarters.
Here's what Ljunstedt had to say over on LinkedIn about this move:
Today was my last day at DICE and it’s with mixed feelings I’m leaving something that’s been part of my life for such a long time. It’s been great journey and I feel privileged to have got the chance to work with all the talented people at DICE, you will all be missed... Now I’m ready for a new chapter in my life, and looking forward to my new journey at Retro Studios.
VGC believes he's been hired for Metroid Prime 4, but there's always the possibility the studio could have other plans for him. It's also worth noting that Retro has been seeking an art director since last June.
This follows on from the recruitment of Halo series character modeller, Kyle Hefley, last October. At the start of this year, the Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze lead designer returned to the studio as well.
This sounds like another great recruitment for Retro, given Ljungstedt's experience with the first-person genre. What do you think, though? Share your thoughts below.
[source videogameschronicle.com]
Comments 68
I didnt knew you could leave the darkside and join the Jedi. Welcome to the light my friend.
Im glad he is joining a company that gives a crap. Hopefully he does'nt bring the EA work ethic with him.
Hopefully metroid prime 4 has a Lewis Gun.
Putting quite the team together at Retro. MP4 is an early candidate for GotY 2022 (I hope we get it that early.)
Not what I meant when I said I wanted more EA games, but okay.
Well, if several parts of the game get locked behind a pay wall, I'll know who to blame. Electronic Arts infects its employees with that method of business before releasing them out to infect other companies.
Retro is starting to assemble an all-star team and I’m really glad to see it, especially since they lost a good number of their old devs after Prime 3 came out.
@mother_brain_85 it could be Nintendo giving into the dark side. Imagine Metroid Prime 4 with lootboxes and the obligation to pay extra to get all the weapons to finish the game. Also unlocking Samus would cost an extra £40
@Rhaoulos Pardon me if there was a joke I missed, but this is just an art director, so I'd relax.
Metroid Prime 4 will b a console seller. When it gets closer to release Nintendo is gonna fire up the hype train
@RightWingGamer Sock puppet bs, sorry not buying it.....and you're obvious too. Respectfully, let's please keep the political stuff away from the discussion please.
@derty im mega hyped for this game. More than ffvii remake and even botw2
This will be like BotW, a dual release on Switch and Switch 2.
Looks like they're bringing on a lot of good talent! Say what you want about EA, but DICE's Battlefield and Battlefront games have pretty stellar art direction. It's evident that the artists and devs, in general, put their hearts and souls into their work, even if the publisher ultimately muddles some of their vision with their greedy tactics. Looking forward to seeing what the game looks like.
Good news - some of those games have amazing art.
Every single game Nintendo has done for the Switch so far has been one type of cartoon esthetic or another. Hopefully Rare will bring much needed variety.
Kronk voice Oh yeah, it's all coming together.
Nintendo needs a direct soon. Aren't we due for one soon?
It scares me just letting someone from EA anywhere near a Nintendo property! I hope they watch him like a hawk watches prey!
I'm so hyped for the game too folks, and I'm glad that Nintendo and Retro are bringing in some heavy hitters to make the game right. Very good signs that Ninty are giving the game it's due. I still remember the hype and fireworks when MP4 was announced, the internet and that event went crazy! Folks are clamoring for a GREAT Metroid game after all this time, this could be the one folks!
Must have been quite an offer at Retro if they convinced him to move from Sweden to Texas after 15 years of working at DICE.
@westman98 Big money is being thrown around to make this happen, has to be....the fact that's it's a Metroid game is a factor too but I really think Nintendo/Retro are going "all in" on this one. Very positive signs!
@mauhlin12 theres a chance it could come out by holiday 2021.
@westman98 The offer might have been "Get the hell out of an EA-owned company and work with people who appreciate quality" or some such...
@Heavyarms55 he not a ceo of ea so i wouldnt worry about it.
Lets remember what just the logo/announcement's reaction was lol:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QxfYdZWsBaY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2O0HsmmibbQ
Now it's coming to a Nintendo system that is super successful at a time when a great title would be the best time during it's lifespan.
@PBandSmelly i'm sure he's happy to get away from EA. Otherwise why leave a decent developer like Dice?
A fellow Swede!
@Pik0a0chu purely a joke about EA being evil. I can't picture Nintendo ruining Metroid.
Am I The only one that thinks it’s odd the game was announced to be restarted a year ago and they only now have an art director?
Well...let's see if this game even makes it onto the Switch.
@Smashfan502 https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lewis_gun
British WW1 LMG. In battlefield 1 you run around with it like an assault rifle. Completely unrealistic. But I guess running around with Mausers and Lee Enfields wasn't fun enough.
Sounds like a good career move, Dice isn't what it used to be.
@Rhaoulos Ah, sorry for misinterpreting then!
@Smashfan502 It's named after it's designer. Common with weapons, but has died out in modern times other than Glock,named after Gaston Glock.
@VinylCreep We don't know if he's hired specifically for MP4. Could be for something else.
It looks like this will be his first ever video game for a Nintendo system. Let’s see what he can do
Lol I play BFV and I hope this guy doesn’t mess up ttk in this game too.....Nintendo,beware.....
This also has to be a online multiplayer game. I hope so atleast, the switch needs a good multiplayer FPS.
If Nintendo does not announce this game at E3 im playing metroid prime all over again.
I am still hoping we get an HD Trilogy collection to whet our appetites before the main course, so speak. I’m also hoping chapter four exceeds our overwhelming expectations. I adore the Metroid line of games and hope we get many more entries in the years ahead. Good luck, DICEman- we are counting on you.
@Rhaoulos Other M was a travesty if we are being honest here. Federation Force was crap as well. Nintendo left a couple of blemishes on the enduring franchise and to see them go back to square gives me both shivers of eager anticipation and slight angst. We shall see what surfaces once it’s finally released...
@Maschinenmensch Other M wasn’t as bad as the internet makes it seem.
It was an interesting Metroid game.
Id rather have Other M than no Metroid at all.
Now... Federation Force.... that’s another thing
Other M was a great game. People don't know what they're talking about
Metroid Prime: Transactions!
Cool dice is awesome
Sudden thought: will MP4 be 60fps to keep on its amazing legacy?
Hope so! So much.
But Samus is already female and doesn't need a metal arm because her whole suit is, so what other PC brigade crap could he port from BF:V to Metroid?
@Octane no it wasnt ive played other m and it was a serious let down to the metroid franchise like for instance have to wait for orders to use certain abilities which sucked along with getting 1 missles on each missle expansion,collect energy tank pieces to get a whole one didnt like that at all and samus having ptsd with ridely didnt make sense either.
@PBandSmelly well he is a DICE employee. A lot of people don't realize that DICE and Respawn are awesome studios that make amazing games. Games that are ruined by EA's monetization.
@mauhlin12 hasn't come out yet and we have no idea when it comes out.
@derty to bad Metroid isnt even in the top 10 selling nintendo ips. Everyone is aparently a "metroid fan" but nobody buys the games! So this time people better buy them! That's why ninte do barely makes Metroid games!
@DrDaisy hes a DICE employee not an EA employee. Get that in your head. DICE is a great studio that's destroyed by EAs rule.
@Rhaoulos it's a DICE employee not an EA. DICE is a great studio that is forced to add pay walls by EA
@Heavyarms55 it's a DICE employee not an Ea employee. DICE is a great studio and ea forces the paywalls on them
@PickledKong64 They worked with EA, so that kinda counts as working for EA. Regardless, toxic ideas get passed around. For example, after Namco worked with Capcom on their first (and apparently only) joint fighting game, Namco took the idea of locking visible in-game features behind paywalls from Street Fighter X Tekken to their Tekken series.
Solid single player campaign, fun multiplayer, boundary pushing visuals, and an evergreen nature for Prime 4 would make this a MUST buy for most people I think
@DrDaisy they are literally an artist they're not making any business decisions what are you on
@Braok Methamphetamine, but that's not important. Jhony Ljungstedt could have been brainwashed when was at EA's headquarters (or had agents from EA at his. When he communicates with people at Retro Studios, he'll pass it on to them.
Online multiplayer probably wouldn't hurt. Just because Metroid Prime Hunters wasn't all that great doesn't mean all its features were bad.
@PickledKong64 That may be the case - but I'm still not inclined to trust anyone who worked for EA, willingly or not. If I poison you, even if it wasn't your choice, you're still poisoned. EA is likely to have a negative influence on anyone around them. But coming to work with a different studio, perhaps can serve as an antidote.
@DrDaisy bruh you are actually high lol. That's all I have to say good day
@Heavyarms55 lol okay buddy. Hes an art director. An art director will add microtransactions. Good logic.
@PickledKong64 Cause EA games have never had skins locked behind microtransactions. Never. Totally could never happen in this day and age. Nope.
@RightWingGamer You're perfectly entitled to your opinion and the right to express it. The problem comes when you sock puppet troll some sexist crap with a name like "rightwinggamer" it's obvious trolling to denigrate people on the right. It's fake, an obvious troll and it introduces politics when it's not necessary to a friendly game chat....saying this as an actual right wing gamer.
@Heavyarms55 bruh you're cute. You really are
@Heavyarms55 My dude. Do you think the art director is the dude who locked those skins behind a paywall? For that matter, do you think they even designed the skins specifically?
@Braok I think that's entirely possible in both cases, yes. Likely the art director did not design all of them and locking them behind paywalls might not have been his choice, but he was still in on it and likely profited off it. Once someone has tasted profit like that it's easy to fall back into old patterns.
@Heavyarms55 He might've been in on it, but ultimately he has no say in that. He was just doing his job, whether he agreed with it or he didn't. Same at Retro Studios. Even if he wants to lock them, if I had to be honest, I don't think Nintendo would let that fly. They know that microtransactions wouldn't be accepted by their community.
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