Metroid Prime 4: Beyond
Image: Nintendo

Over the last week or so, we here at Nintendo Life have been having a few spirited debates about when Metroid Prime 4: Beyond might actually launch. By all accounts, it's still scheduled for 2025, but time's ticking by quickly, and we're still very much in the dark.

Frankly, after literal years of waiting, it feels good to finally talk about Prime 4's release date without feeling the need to plaster our faces with clown makeup (yeah, it's not just you, Silksong fans). But here's the thing: Nintendo's schedule over the next few months is looking reasonably healthy, with Kirby and the Forgotten Land + Star-Crossed World launching today, Pokémon Legends Z-A following on 16th October, and finally Kirby Air Riders on 20th November. Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment is also due in Winter, but this rather broad window means it could potentially come out in January or February 2026.

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Now, assuming Prime 4 doesn't get pushed into 2026 (which, by the way, is definitely possible and shouldn't be ruled out entirely), then logically, we're probably looking at either September or December. There are a couple of us here in 'Camp September' and believe that Nintendo has probably already built up enough hype for the game to pull off a quick and ferocious marketing campaign within just a few weeks.

The rest of us, however, are pretty convinced that we're looking at a potential launch in early December. Rumour has it that we're getting some sort of Nintendo Direct in September, so assuming we finally get a launch date during said presentation, it would afford Nintendo a good two months or so to really drive up interest around the game and launch it without anything else getting in the way.

Of course, it's also not out of the question that the game could launch in either October or November. Audiences for Pokémon and Kirby are quite different to that of Metroid, and while there would certainly be a bit of crossover, we're not sure it would necessarily be enough to negatively impact any of the games in question. Heck, Super Mario Party Jamboree + Jamboree TV launched just one week after Donkey Kong Bananza, after all.

But we want to hear from you, dear readers. When do you think might be the most logical time for Metroid Prime 4 to finally launch? Could Nintendo pull off a release in September, or is December looking more likely? Or... gulp... could it be pushed into 2026?

Let us know your thoughts by voting in the polls below and leaving a comment.

When will Nintendo finally launch Metroid Prime 4: Beyond? (4,369 votes)

  1. September, let's not waste time10%
  2. October, Pokémon be damned6%
  3. November, on your left Kirby14%
  4. December, Samus Claus is coming to town47%
  5. It'll get pushed into 202622%

Would you be disappointed if Prime 4 got pushed into the new year? (3,472 votes)

  1. Disappointed? I'll be crushed!15%
  2. Oh sure, but I'll live36%
  3. Honestly, I'll just be happy with any date28%
  4. No, it'd give me more time with Pokémon and Kirby6%
  5. I've given up caring at this point16%