Retro Studios Hires Industry Veteran To Help Steer Metroid Prime 4 Development

Somebody new gets hired to help in the making of this game every other week it seems. Sheesh

Delay this game as long as necessary. Delay it until the 4K switch is out

It’s quite the Western development team. I know it’s Retro and not Nintendo but it is quite Rare (heh) for so many Westerners to be working on a big Nintendo franchise.

It starts to look like that game is in development hell. And it still would take years for anything to be completed.

Who made the original 4 that it turned out so bad it was scrapped? And why didn’t they have retro work on it from the beginning...

These news about new hires are turning into a meme. Soon we'll have an article headlined, "Catering Service Hired to Feed Emaciated Metroid Prime 4 Development Team."

By the time Prime 4 releases, the next nintendo console will be out and Prime 4 would have to release on Switch and also as a Launch Title on the new Nintendo console.

I think I'm actually ok with that...

@nessisonett It's because Japan has no interest in Metroid, generally

Probably got no further than the logo that was shown years back

Metroid 4 can wait until next switch as far as I’m concerned.

But bring us Metroid trilogy HD!

.. hmm, maybe they’re planning Metroid trilogy 4k, along with Mario all stars 4k in March?

@Majer
That's...a good thing. Companies should always staff up, especially for ambitious projects like this one.

Monolith Soft had to triple the size of their workforce in order to handle developing Zelda and Xenoblade games simultaneously.

I'm pumped for this game, but I feel bad for the devs. Hope they're doing good and not overworking themselves

@nessisonett retro is a Nintendo owned studio
And Metroid is a game for western audiences

This games will probably be a late release like botw was on Wii U it may even release on the switch 2.

25 years of experience? But didn't things change A LOT over 25 years?

@Shambo they did. But you could argue that despite these changes, the fact he's still doing that job makes him remarkably talented and adaptable

This game will be epic 🤩

Stop, it's already dead!

@SpaceKaren A 4k Switch isn't happening, the most likely outcome is a slightly more powerful model with longer battery life, and better internals to run the bare minimum that next gen third party ports would require.

I really do hope there is another smaller Metroid project that is something new between now and the Metroid Prime 4 release. I'm fine with another 2D — but new, not remake.

And yes, a Prime trilogy remaster would be very welcome.

I can wait, if it means Prime 4 will be amazing. I'm guessing the first part of the work was a small team prototyping something with a solid gameplay base before ramping up the talent and full production.

@Shambo Well, it says during his 25-year career (which includes fairly recent projects), not 25 years since. So I imagine he's kept up with the changes in the industry. And I would also imagine things haven't changed too drastically since his last project that he would be a fish out of water

@aaronsullivan I'm fine with a remake but not a new 2D one.

@QueenKittenWrite Fun to imagine Nintendo dropping a TV-based console that competes with the PS5 XSX, though. Back to the Gamecube days where the specs were competing. I mean, I'd love the insanity of something like that.

Thing is, that would also bring all the problems of going that route. Not the least of which would be a divided target for developers, especially first-party teams.

@N8tiveT3ch Why not a new 2D Metroid game? It's an interesting sentiment given that your avatar is from a new 2D game in an old franchise. :/

@SpaceKaren that's the very reason it's ben delayed.

@aaronsullivan I would absolutely love one, or they could easily do a HD Samus Returns.

@aaronsullivan I just trolling you. I would like anything metroid on the switch. NES and SNES versions are fine but I want more

@echoplex It's on the Wii. It's a pretty great way to play, still... except for the resolution.

Seriously, though, it's not an easy remaster. There are many opinions about how to do it best. I'd very much miss the motion controls and aiming if they decided to reduce them back to GameCube levels, but others would be mad if they forced the motion... so they pretty much have to do both.

It does feel like an obvious move, though, to have it out by now.

At least there is a real eagerness and good collab. to get this baby done.

@AG_Awesome Some of Retro Studios artists and persons that were responsible for the trilogy, have already left since years. If I am not mistaken, they had left after Metroid Prime 3. The stuff had also said way back there that they don't want to make another Metroid title. They had done 3 titles and they were burned of this franchise. They wanted to make something different. Now, after so many years, Retro Studios is not the same company as it was before but many things have changed and new persons have been recruited. Hopefully we may see something good.

@aaronsullivan Yep, the trilogy used the New Play Control version of the first two games so it would require work to combine the original games and find workarounds for 3’s heavy use of motion controls for switches and things. A lot of effort when there’s a 4th game in development as well.

why are we hearing every time someone is hired at Retro?

That really means nothing other than they're hiring.

@AG_Awesome Prime 4 was originally going to be made by the development team that had been worki g on Star Wars 1313, before Disney bought Lucasfilm. It was an interesting choice and I had high hopes for the game. Was disappointed things didn't work out.

@QueenKittenWrite Nintendo is literally telling people to ready 4K games right now man.

It's better to leave the awesome work on its original hands. Metroid Prime was a series that is hard to replicate, and only Retro Studios could manage it properly.

TBH, I was kinda uncomfortable with namco-Bandai making this game, and don't get me wrong, namco-Bandai makes some excellent games, but FPS is not their area of expertise.

I mean, new talents are necessary for a project of this scope and extent, but the original creators will make sure it will live up and/or exceed the expected on the standards and hype

"A delayed game is a good game eventually, but a bad game is bad FOREVER"
-Shigeru Miyamoto.

@nessisonett No? How is that rare when Retro developed 5 games and Next Level Games developed like 6 or 7 games for Nintendo? lol

If I were Retro Studios, I would FIRST make a Trilogy from the ground up, the load times would be benefitted from the cart tech, graphics would suffer a substantial boost, and most importantly, add an option to switch from GCN to Motion controls (which is what I believe the original MPT missed) so as to appeal both GCN nostalgic and newcomers of the motion tech, and even adding up a way to play with the original GCN controllers like they did with SSBU, then, from that experience, work on perfecting MP4.

I hope all these new recruits are Nintendo fans that played the original Prime’s so they know what we want!

Also I’m ready for MP Trilogy shadow drop now Nintendo! Thanks

Seems like they are pumping more resources into this game! Ultimately this means it will be the best it can be.
When the switch has a consumer base of over 100million the release will be a sure bet! And thats when I expect Metroid 4 to finally be released, for me personally this is fine. Make the game great and I’ll happily wait.

This game is turning into a mess, it was announced waaay too early.

@whodatninja how exactly is it a mess? Seriously you people ALWAYS being negative about this game is seriously getting tiresome.
Be darned patient for god's sake.

It really should have already been steered at this point.

I have no wish whatsoever to apply the least pressure to the hard-working developers at Retro. I mean, considering the sinking parade* that just happened outside their town, they must be wondering what the world is coming to.

Even so, I wish to inform everyone that, each time I read about new hirings like this, I receive the following vision in my mind with crystal clarity (please rise and salute when viewing the following video):

https://youtu.be/ZA1N5Nq6uhs?list=PLDgypNs3MY2Q21vAY2llfM9CtnoiQi6Ws&t=180

(asterisk) Google "Trump parade sinking"

@Snakesglowcaps how do we know they are telling developers to get ready for 4K? The person who wrote that said outside sources or something like that, which means some outside source, or the dude who wrote that article could be lying. Everybody just instantly believes everything they read on the internet.

Typical NintendoLife comments, where everybody knows insider info on game development and the infrastructure of each studio. Classic.

Duke Nukem Forever is a game which was in development hell. Metroid Prime 4 is not. Stop overexaggerating things to sound dramatic.

They could give us MP Trilogy.... Just to keep us busy.... Wait..... wait a minute..... that would be a great holiday game next to Hyrule Warriors!!! (But it won't happen 😭😭)

Looking at the kind of games these people have made in the past, it's quite impressive.

They're also not very Metroid-y games. Prime 4 could be a very different game to what we're expecting, in tone if nothing else.

@ballistic90 I've heard many times that Metroid never caught on in Japan. I've always wondered why, because no one's every given a reason for why the Japanese have mostly ignored it.

I wish Prime 4 would have been released for the Wii U. I think they could have done some cool things with the gamepad. And assuming the gamepad integration wasn't completely essential to the game, we would have already had the Switch port by now.

Wow, that's quite a lot of shooter veterans (and a generally interesting mix of different game credentials).

I’m confident the development is going smoothly. 343 just hired a few people to work on halo infinite’s story and that game was going to release in two months up until it’s delay. Even if it’s a bit away I’m sure everything is going good development wise. To make the best Metroid game will surely take 3-4+ years of development.

@SpaceKaren Lol be prepared to wait another 5-10 years then.

@Thwomp_Stomper That is an awesome profile gif.

@Slinkoy1 it’s not just one source it’s multiple. Some reputable some not. Relax. I’d say at this point there’s a good chance they’ve figured something out. Keep in mind that Nintendo are magicians with their games. BOTW and Mario odyssey I could actually see running at 4K. Newer third party titles probably not. But yeah

@bobzbulder Thanks! My two favorite things. Mario and Batman 😄

For some reason this article not only made me not feel better about MP4 development, it actually made me more uneasy. Metroid prime 3 was good, very good, was it really so long ago? Have they lost whatever "it" was that allowed them to make these timeless classics? Metroid prime games are not similar to any other game and imo was a genre in itself. Mentioning call of duty is generally not going to put any MP fan at ease...I really hope they find their way no matter how long it takes. We forgive you for the big head weirdness of MP:federation force if that helps 🙃

Warhawk was very ambitious when it came out and helped to define PS3's online capabilities. This game is looking more and more ambitious the more Retro hires

They need to release some old 3d metroid games to tide me over.

I pray this is still going to be a Metroid game and does not become generic FPS 101. Metroid needs to be challenging and complex. Fingers crossed.

QUESTION TO NINTENDOLIFE: If Retro hires 39 more people are we going to have 39 more articles?

I'm glad Retro is getting all this amazing new talent, but that just hype me up for an amazing Metroid Prime game than ever before it. With all this wait, these news and not able to see the game yet, I hope I don't get disappointed when the game actually comes out

i hope Metroid Prime 4 still release on Switch and is not a cross-gen game like Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild.

I think the only thing they are keeping is the logo from there original design before they cancel it and gave it to Retro cause it still looked pretty cool.

@CupidStunt

I agree but I wouldn’t be opposed to Prime 4 adopting a modern shooter control scheme.

Basically give me something with the adventure and open ended nature of the Prime trilogy with Halo/CoD derived controls.

For all the flak CoD gets there is one thing they always get right. Their console FPS controls are on point and always have been. I grew up playing PC shooters so I do find controllers to be inferior to a mouse and keyboard but man... COD’s controls are what really make me like those games even though they are repetitive shooting galleries in their campaigns.

@Varkster this guy gets it.

These updates really make my heart skip.

Part of me is cautiously optimistic, the other is gravely cynical. It’s hard to figure which to lean on.

@TheRedComet Gyro controls are what I want, and I hope the lock on still exists. I hear what you say about controls, but CoD single-plsyer games are so boring for me. I like my games a bit more "gamey". Metroid,'s formula is probably the most imitated on the indie scene, and I want Retro to show everyone they are the best at the formula still.

@CupidStunt

Agreed. I don’t want them to change up how Metroid works.

I would only like to see modern FPS controls integrated into the existing gameplay.

I’m not a fan of motion controls at all but I think it would be possible to give us multiple options.

@TheRedComet I think they would as the Gamecube control scheme would not bode well for modern gamers. I do hope they keep the Zelda style lock on though as this worked really well for the boss fights. But for sure the option for dual analogue and motion controls for movement are a must for this game. There us no game I am more excited for so I just hope they do not dumb it down. I am sure it will be great and I do not think you have to worry about there being dual analogue controls.

All this hiring makes me think we’re now into 2022 release window

Oh, come on, stop pretending to us that Big N gives a fraction of a damn about Metroid. Next, you'll tell us that Criterion is making an F-Zero game.