Nintendo releases video about Metroid Prime 4 development - Currently below expectations - Will redo from scratch with Retro Studios

[Nothere]

Damn that makes me sad for 2 reasons.
1. I don't have faith in Retro having 2 teams which means we won't be seeing anything from that studio until MP4.
2. YEARS to see anything about MP4, might as well be a "switch2" launch title...

...but it makes me wonder if there's a direct in the horizon and Ninty is worried about backlash of haing one with no MP4 on it.

 

[nanskee]

So... MP4 is going to be a bad game.... let me save this post... Lol.

Click to shrink...

Wasn't Shiggy's last game Pikmin 3????

 

[PrintedCrayon]

It's Metroid Dread 2.

Click to shrink...

Now there's a name I've not heard in a long, long time...

Would be fascinating to see what the cancelled project of MP4 looked like at this early stage. It must have been a mess.

 

[Durante]

Now that we know for sure that they weren't working on Metroid up to now, I'm even more curious what Retro was actually doing for those 4 years (!) after Tropical Freeze.

 

[Gundam]

Wow. Whatever Metroid Prime 4 was originally is basically cancelled. Super intriguing. At least we know what Retro is up to now.

 

[Dizzy Ukulele]

This will make for a fascinating YouTube video one day. I'm almost as interested to see what they've scrapped as I am Retro's eventual release.

 

[Madison]

I have respect for Nintendo in the sense that releasing a video saying "the game wasnt good, he starting it again" isnt the easiest task. Good luck to Retro.

 

[LiquidSolid]

I never had much confidence in Bandai Namco developing a worthy Metroid Prime sequel, so this seems like great news to me.

It does show Nintendo really shouldn't have announced Metroid Prime 4 when they did though.

 

[cairngorm]

Oof

 

[Robin]

Good that they recognize they were working towards a failure and are reassessing. Whatever it takes.

 

[OnanieBomb]

I'd be so bummed if this means their Star Fox game is also canned

Click to shrink...

Star Fox is finished, just not revealed yet. Ya gotta believe!

Or it was shite and its canned and here we are with no Retro game for like 8-9 years total or something

 

[SuperBlank]

It happens but they really released that teaser trailer way too early.

I am confident Retro can do it, though.

Click to shrink...

Well they only did that to mitigate backlash against Samus Returns being on 3DS.

It worked well with Smash Brothers so it's not too much of a stretch to see Nintendo wanting to expand that partnership.

Click to shrink...

From the sounds of it, it seems a more prestigious and experienced team within Namco was working on Smash than had been tasked with Prime 4.

 

[Kyora90]

What least they're being honest, that's more than 90% of the same stuff happening to other games that face the same problem.

 

[Klobrille]

I will be mad if this means no Star Fox Grand Prix.

 

[Oracle]

Much respect to Nintendo for doing this. But I cant help but think its because the situation is so dire, that there hands are tied. They are not doing this as a favor to thier fans. Its the only thing they CAN do to cover thier ass. This video essentially means Metroid 4 as we know it, has been canceled. They are annoncing it now that they will rebuild it, but non the less its currently canceled.

 

[Menx64]

Well at least we know what retro is doing no?
The delay sucks, but I bet the have enough to show this year if they decided to reveal the status of the game.

 

[aerie]

That actually does sound good. Shows nintendo are concerned about the quality of a major release of this franchise. I'm happy to wait until they're able to finish it.

 

[Vesper]

See yall in 2023.

 

[Deleted member 32018]

I'd be so bummed if this means their Star Fox game is also canned

Click to shrink...

It could also mean that it is nearly finished.

 

[elektrixx]

I hope to play the cancelled version on an emulator in a few years.

 

[NintendoNinjaNews]

Gee Nintendo why can't you release the game half baked and have a lack of quality like the rest of the AAA industry. Always behind the times [/s]

 

[Soundchaser]

Woah. I wish Valve was so transparent about Half-Life.

 

[sir_crocodile]

What about retro current project?

Click to shrink...

Retro haven't shipped a new game in over 4 years. They've been helping Nintendo with other projects and their DKC TF port, but you'd hope whatever they've been working on is close to finished now.

If they really are starting from scratch on MP4, they don't need a big team on it yet anyway, until they work out the design.

 

[Wolfgunblood]

Brutal. No Metroid on Switch for another 3 or so years...

 

[Jecht]

This is a very un-Nintendo thing to do, and I very much appreciate the update.

 

[OnanieBomb]

I have respect for Nintendo in the sense that releasing a video saying "the game wasnt good, he starting it again" isnt the easiest task. Good luck to Retro.

Click to shrink...

Nintendo will forever be doing damage control on this franchise after Federation Force, lol

 

[Stairouais]

Yeah, what the Switch needs now are more old ports

Click to shrink...

can you elaborate? because

sales wise, it isn't. Like, no. Animal Crossing, Pokemon will sell gangbuster more, but even medium-tier projects (lol) like Fire Emblem and Luigi's mansion have more commercial value

single-player wise it wasn't supposed to be the only game coming this year, considering that FE and Luigis have been officially announced for this year, with Bayonetta 3 with way more chance to be out in 2019, than this game

So no, it wasn't honestly

Click to shrink...

I won't because I can see where this is going. I know it's onot a huge game sales wise.
I should have said it was MY big Switch game I EXPECTED for this year.

 

[Grapezard]

On one hand, FUCK. YEARS OF WAITING.
On the other hand, yes! Retro!

 

[cbrotherson]

Guys - developers of Retro's size typically work on more than one game at a time. If there is indeed a StarFox GP (or whatever), then a smaller part of the team will finish it off while the rest of the team works on Metroid 4. This is not uncommon in development.

As for Reggie "lying" about the game's development going well - not really sure what people would expect him to say in that instance? It's a default marketing statement, you can't express problems or cancellation even if that's the case, until you make a final decision and prepare a proper statement. Again, not uncommon.

Just my personal 2-bob.

 

[KINGOFSHIBUYA Ltd.]

This is actually good news. That means Takahashi is doing his job, and whoever was deving it before was shitting the bed. He was trying to prevent an Other M backlash, let alone maybe a genuinely terrible game.

As someone who actually likes the games, I was afraid it'd either have nothing new to bring to the series, or not be very good. It's easy for many to not understand what makes those games tick.
Also, some folks just aren't good at making deep, well-designed games.
They're cheap though.

Sad news, but good news. Good call Takahashi-san.

Spoiler

If Miyamoto ran EPD, that shit would have released

Spoiler

Is Star Fox GP cancelled, or is New Donkey Kong Country 3 cancelled?

As for Reggie "lying" about the game's development going well - not really sure what people would expect him to say in that instance? It's a default marketing statement, you can't express problems or cancellation even if that's the case, until you make a final decision and prepare a proper statement. Again, not uncommon.

Click to shrink...

This. That and there's a good chance he had absolutely no idea how it was going day to day. There's really little benefit to having him a part of development.

 

[Bundy]

Extremely frank and honest video from Nintendo. I for one am happy that Retro are going to do Prime 4, I wonder if any of the folks who worked on the Prime Series will come back to the studio now they are doing this? While some of those who worked on the series before are still there many have scattered across the gaming landscape, some just within Austin (where Retro's studio is) and others much further afield.

Click to shrink...

 

[Wrynn]

The least Nintendo can do now to quell the Metroid fanbase thirst is release Metroid Prime Trilogy for the Switch with HD tweaked visuals and some sort of bonus content.

That makes me really sad, MP4 was by far my most anticipated game of 2019. Well, the positive side of this is that Retro is making a Metroid Prime again.

 

[byDoS]

I mean, that's some bad news for you, but I think I'm not... Sad?

I'm relieved, actually... Don't know why

 

[Kiraly]

so your definition of "is Nintendo's Fault" is em giving the game development chance to Bamco and bamco crewing the game?.

Click to shrink...

Yes? Ultimately it's theirs. Nintendo made the decision to give it to Bamco. Bamco fucked it up. It's Nintendo's mistake to have given it to Bamco. It does not mean Bamco is not to blame in this situation. But the fault falls on Nintendo.

 

[Lys Skygge]

Other than the significant delay, I'd say this is mostly good news.

 

[Steroyd]

Well I'm surprised this was done from day 0 but hot damn now I'm more excited.

 

[digifire]

I actually expected it to come out this year. Guess we'll be waiting another 3 years minimum

Spoiler

if it even ends up coming out.

Glad Retro is on this at least

 

[JayBee]

At least this confirms Retro is actually working on something. Still really want to know what they've been doing since 2014

Click to shrink...

I really really hope that game is done and ready for anouncement and realese, otherwise I don't understand the 4 years of silence

 

[Neoxon]

Better delayed than bad, but I wonder what happened with the Bandai Namco(?) version.

 

[WhoaIsThatMars]

they better push out that trilogy collection this year to make up for it

Click to shrink...

wait, no. They're gonna port Other M because fucking lol

 

[Mickagau]

Wasn't Shiggy's last game Pikmin 3????

Click to shrink...

Star Fox 0 I think

 

[Rabalder.]

Lmao what a blunder. Why did Nintendo even announce that shit.

 

[Raijinto]

Damn just watching the video and the statement doesn't hold back at all. The game was crap really and had nothing worth salvaging so it's straight back to square one with a completely different studio.

This really is the time I'd appreciate insight/insider info as opposed to the vague hints and wink-wink-nudge-nudge teases that are old hat now and clearly not even reliable anymore considering multiple on this site alone commented to the effect that MP4 was going well.

 

[Sander VF]

Well, this is nuts

I'm not bummed it's been delayed; I'm glad that they care about the quality of the game. But this basically confirms that Retro has been working on pretty much nothing these five years, and that makes me very sad...

Click to shrink...

Or that Star Fox or whatever is ready to go and they can finally take on another project.

 

[Tebunker]

This is pretty much like the FF7 Remake situation with the exception that metorid isn't being split into parts.

Click to shrink...

And MP4 may still come out first

 

[Deadpool_X]

This tells me one of 2 things: Either Star Fox Grand Prix is done and waiting to be announced and released quickly from each other, or Grand Prix hit development hell and Nintendo canceled it and moved Retro over to this, as the Namco team was doing a terrible job.

 

[pswii60]

Wow, the shittest news. But then I'd rather they do this than release something that we'd all hate.

 

[Zassimick]

I'm curious about what the product look like before this reboot of development, and as to what differences Retro will be making from the original vision.

They called it Metroid Prime 4, so I would assume the developer (Bandai Singapore?) was basing the core game off of the original trilogy. So what wasn't working would be interesting to know.

 

[SuperBlank]

Click to shrink...

A lot of new devs are guiding Mario & Zelda these days, I'm not too bothered.

 

[OnanieBomb]

Guys - developers of Retro's size typically work on more than one game at a time. If there is indeed a StarFox GP (or whatever), then a smaller part of the team will finish it off while the rest of the team works on Metroid 4. This is not uncommon in development.

As for Reggie "lying" about the game's development going well - not really sure what people would expect him to say in that instance? It's a default marketing statement, you can't express problems or cancellation even if that's the case, until you make a final decision and prepare a proper statement. Again, not uncommon.

Click to shrink...

Cooler heads will prevail