We can all collectively breathe a sigh of relief; Metroid Prime 4 is real, and its full title was revealed to be Metroid Prime 4 Beyond at the June 18 Nintendo Direct presentation.
A title reveal isn't all we got, either. The game has been confirmed for a 2025 release on Nintendo Switch, potentially eight years (eight!) since its initial reveal.
A segment of gameplay shows series protagonist Samus Aran descend to a planet in her spacecraft, before transitioning behind her visor, thus confirming the latest game in the Prime subseries is maintaining that first-person view. The game looks absolutely gorgeous, too, no doubt pushing the Switch to its limits while maintaining a 60fps framerate.
Samus battles her way through various Space Pirate enemies, showing off iconic series abilities such as her missiles, Morph Ball and Scan Visor. The 3D map is also seen, which seems to confirm the game will maintain the series' open-ended exploration.
Most interestingly, the trailer teases the return of Sylux, who debuted in Metroid Prime Hunters for the Nintendo DS and had a brief cameo in Metroid Prime 3: Corruption's ending. He's flanked by a pair of Metroids, suggesting he's been able to manifest their power against the Galactic Federation. With Dark Samus gone, it seems like Sylux is likely to fill that primary antagonist role.
Given Metroid Prime 4 Beyond's 2025 release date, there's a decent chance it could also make the jump to the Switch's successor, tentatively being referred to as the Nintendo Switch 2. Whether that will be as its own version or an enhanced port remains to be seen before Nintendo has shared any official details on the upcoming console.
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