Sakamoto: Metroid Dread Is Not The "Ultimate End", Samus Will Continue Her Adventures

This is a polar opposite from Mother/Earthbound's creator's words on a new Mother game.

The first three Prime games were labeled as the “Phazon Trilogy”. I would like Prime 4 to be the start of another trilogy with a new threat/antagonist.

The Prime games have taken place between the first Metroid game, and Metroid II: Return of Samus. Assuming 4 is also in the earlier years, I don't see a new direction, with lots of Space Pirates and Metroids still around.

I would like to see a bunch of other adventures, a bit like Other M being part 3.5. I would also like to see 2.5D remakes of Super, Fusion and also Zero. I'd like to see a polished up version of Samus returns on Switch. As for continuing the narrative of Samus, having defeated all Metroids and being transformed into being so overpowered, I think it could be done, considering the state of her powers was left ambiguous at the end. I suppose there needs to be a reason to continue the story, rather than reboot it, there needs to be a good idea.

@napabar Prime was ever so loosely, retroactively squeezed into this spot in cannon, having no connection with key events of the core games. I'm sure they could do whatever they wanted. I'm fine with breaking the continuity again if it serves to justify a fun gameplay opportunity.

Good stuff, it was a damn near perfect game and I'd love to see what's next.

Metroid Prime Trilogy = The Phazon Saga
Metroid 1-5 = The Chozo Saga
Prime Hunters, Federation Force, and Other M = The Federation Saga

Hopefully the newer games evolve into something big and epic in the upcoming storyline.

I'm glad he came out and said this. Right after completing Dread, I was saddened this was gonna be the last metroid game but this statement gave me hope.

The only real problem that arises, if still a big one to consider, is one the Metroid series has seen a number of times; its dwindling cast of stable reoccurring faces and enemies. Now, its managed this twice in a row now with both Fusion and Dread managing to drastically alter our main star and throwing in new bizarre enemies. But the former had the backing support of Prime and Dread had a heaping amount of fanbase desperation after an ungodly amount of time between titles and Samus Returns showing the company's competency in making a new Metroid title.

Minor spoilers, but to keep it as brief as possible, going forward from Metroid Dread, there's nothing else really left to be had of stay threads to explore going forward in the timeline at this point. Previous established main enemies are dead. Other M even flirted with the idea of bringing back Main Antagonist #1 and it wasn't taken the best to put it mildly. Even the series namesake is gone. I would not be surprised if going forward the series would have to rebrand as just "Samus: Game Title" simply because the titular creatures are gone and would only be referenced by Samus' relationship with them and gene splicing oddity background altering her. But there would be no more of the little green space jellyfish without undermining the stories of Super, Fusion and Dread.

Metroid is often unfairly compared to Halo due to their corresponding heights of popularity, but it kinda reminds me of their deal when they finished their trilogy and were forced to continue past the ending. You can probably squeeze a Metroid prequel reinventing the manga a la Halo did with their Reach novels, would probably scratch Sakamoto's Metal Gear-sized story itch he had to violently scratch with Other M, but going past that leaves me.....hesitant, if nothing else.

I barely notice the story in most Nintendo games I play. I’m there for the gameplay and that’s majorly how the games are designed anyway

Kind of misleading statement to make in the first place about being the end, but I get what he means.

At this point, going forward, future Metroid games don't actually need to have floating aliens called Metroids in them for the title to stay accurate.

I just hope Prime 4 can give me that sense of awe like the original Prime did. The world, the music, the graphics, the small details in everything (her reflection in the visor when lit a certain way). Hopefully Retro can do it again.

As someone who has just recently become a Metroid "fan" thanks to Dread, this is awesome to hear. As much as going back and playing all that I've missed out on is exciting, the prospect of new games in the series is even more.

I would love a “Witcher” style game where she takes on bounties across the universe. Which eventually culminates in an overarching storyline. But then you can have more bounties as time goes on.

The Metroid series is most definitely far from being over. MercurySteam, despite some unethical and unfair practices, have proven twice to be capable of making mainstream Metroid games. The only question is, where next? I can imagine potentially getting another remake of a game, but that's just a start. Of course, there's also Metroid Prime.

@DaTrashMan

I honestly feel Retro captured that lightning twice; Prime and Echoes. Both were amazing, and I hope 4 hits it again

@Desrever It's only misleading because people took it out of context and/or misunderstood what he was saying (and that interview is a month old, not sure why NL is only bringing it up now, but I digress).

Sakamoto never said that Dread was the end of the Metroid series, he said it was the end of the story arc that started with the first game.

People are either bad at reading comprehension, or just like the bs clickbait headlines...I'm gonna guess a little of column A, little of column B.

Okay, so I feel like this is him reiterating something he's already said before.

@Desrever Remember when players use to called Samus "Metroid." Well seems like they were correct all along do they as Nintendo is turning Samus into Metroid.

I would certainly hope so, especially after the most recent game's huge financial success compared to other entries. I think the fans have shown Nintendo that there is still a market for one of the flagship action titles of 2D action fans everywhere. I think it would be a sad day when the Metroid series stops getting new entries. They are one of Nintendo's more hardcore series.

So basically, this is like Kingdom Hearts 3, where a lot of people thought it would be the end, but it only ended up being the end to one story arc, while leaving some plot threads open for expanding upon in future instalments...
Except Metroid doesn't have such a detrimental focus on plots that revolve around retcons and plot twists.

I wouldn't mind seeing Samus have some adventures that don't involve metroids. I don't know how well the fans would adapt though.

As far as 2D Metroid goes, as long as Mercury Steam continues to have their iron grip on the series, for me it is as good as dead. The big focus on high octane cinematic action over exploration and atmosphere and with near-zero artistic direction to any of it I just don't think these guys really get what Metroid ought to be about at all.

@JuanERdz prime 4 will involve dark samus again and besides there probably still phazon out there plus theres still no explanation on how planet phaaze came to be or its origin.

A new game in the style of ninja gaiden or bayonetta. Without the name Metroid.
Samus Aran: the chozo warrior.
With a background story where she is being trained by the chozo.

The Prime Series has plenty of potential threats and/or civilizations that the 2D Series can make use of going forward. I don't think there should be exclusivity within the same franchise, same universe and same timeline. Any lore from any game should be able to be used to lay the foundation for the series' future. With the Prime Series going forward, it depends on if Sylux lasts as a threat for more than Prime 4. I don't think Sylux will as I feel like post-Federation Force Sylux exceeds the threat level of Dark Samus in Prime 3, and so it would make more sense for that spotlight to only last for Prime 4. Prime 5 may finally then be the Kriken Empire's time and have them attack either the world(s) of the N'Kren or Ylla, two races/civilizations not yet seen only mentioned. There are plenty of avenues for the series to take.

Without spoiling anything, the ending to me seemed like the end of this chapter only for a new one to begin.

@PortuGuy
This seems like the right thing to do next!
When there are no galaxy level threats going on, what kind of morally grey activities does Samus have to do to make a living in this universe.

I mean, Dread literally states in the beginning that Metroids were named after the Chozo word for "Ultimate Warrior" (and I could be fairly wrong, but I think this is also mentioned in other games?). Samus is not a Metroid, but the Metroid. When that guy on miiverse was asking "Y cant Metroid crawl?", he had already twigged. There is no need to change the series name; as long as Samus is present, the title works.

All that said, I am looking forward to the next game. =)

A quasi-reboot is in order, keeping the best bits of the lore and starting a new storyline without the restrictions of established continuity, just like the Zelda series.

You mean a game in a franchise that sold well, after a good marketing and with a good revival effort, sold like hot cakes... and Nintendo wants to keep on selling hot cakes? Color me shocked! I say shocked, sir!

Now I wish they would put oin the same effort for an F-Zero reboot...

Personally, I want a future story arc to deal with Samus taking down those corrupt officials within the Galactic Federation (the ones who were making bioweapons, as seen in Oher M and Fusion).

They could also be in league with the Space Pirates, offering them the weapons and technology to commit some sort of attack that would allow these corrupt officials to take over the Federation and establish martial law.

It would then be up to Samus to take down both the Space Pirates and the corrupt officials. Or maybe the corrupt officials betray the Space Pirates, and Samus has to reluctantly team up with the latter to defeat the corrupt officials.

I'm hyped as ever for Prime 4 that's for sure.

metroid vr missions.. not necessarily vr headsets, but samus placed in harmless vr landscapes not bound to ethical constraints for endless leveling. like vegeta and goku in hyperbolic time chambers.

I don’t get all this “but how can they make another game after Dread?”.

It’s all made up - Samus isn’t real! - so the devs can make up new stuff!! And I’m excited for what comes next!! New stuff yeh!

If the five games have an arc, it feels like Dread's doing most of the work to make that the case? Like the closest we've had to foreshadowing of any of it was an unlockable image in the 3DS remake of #2? Not saying it was done poorly, but the idea that the story is in any way a closed-loop seems a bit much.

Is this supposed to be news here around. I knew that would be the case a long time ago. Of course this isn't the end of 2d Metroid. Same for Prime 4.

Metroid 6: Metroids Reborn

Coming summer 2036
Mark your calendars!

Hopefully a little before 😉

I mean of course, what's Samus gonna do, retire after the events of the last game? Nah, she's a bounty hunter, let her hunt her bounty.

Find out more when Metroid crawls back in action in Another Samus Returns: Some Of Us Vaguely Seem To Recall Samus Did Something Back In Autumn 2021, release date to be announced in 2035. Around that time we'll also get a new update on Prime 4. Maybe even an official logo.

Translation: We will continued to tiredly create popular Nintendo franchises until you guys stop buying them. Please understand.

Good。Hope the wait is not long but I do enjoy to replay Metroid games quite a bit。I will keep finish current Metroids until a new comes along。

I think it would be awesome, if they made Prime Canon to the timeline. Plus Metroid Prime IV could also take place after Dread. There are so many possibilities they could take this series.