The long-awaited Metroid Prime 4: Beyond finally has a release date, as revealed in the September 2025 Nintendo Direct. The Prime series takes the classic Metroid formula – lending one half of its name to a whole genre, metroidvania – and gives players a first-person perspective, rather than the traditional side-scroller gameplay. Metroid Prime 4 has had a notoriously turbulent development, but is now well on its way to release, 18 whole years after Metroid Prime 3: Corruption.
Metroid Prime 4: Beyond takes Samus on a new adventure to a planet called Viewros, and it appears to have the series’ biggest scope yet. Samus’ classic Morph Ball and Arm Cannon abilities are joined by new powers and gadgets, and a mysterious villain returns from previous installments to threaten the galaxy. After development was restarted in 2019, Retro Studios took over, with Nintendo publishing the exclusive.
Metroid Prime 4 Release Date
December 4, 2025
Metroid Prime 4: Beyond will release on December 4, 2025. It will be simultaneously available on the original Switch and the Switch 2. The game content is expected to be largely the same between the two versions, though the latter will include the Switch 2’s mouse controls, as well as higher resolutions and frame rates. This appears to make Prime 4 Nintendo’s last exclusive release of the year, following Pokémon Legends: Z-A in October and Kirby Air Riders in November.
Metroid Prime 4 Price Information
Amiibo Prices Not Yet Confirmed
Metroid Prime 4: Beyond‘s price changes depending on which version you buy. Prime 4 costs $59.99 on the original Switch, and $69.99 on the Switch 2, with an Upgrade Pack from the former to the latter (in case you happen to upgrade your hardware) priced at $9.99. This is largely in line with Nintendo’s new release pricing for both systems; Switch games are typically $60, and newer AAA games are now often $70. Mario Kart World is still the only Switch 2 game to have an $80 MSRP.
Alongside Metroid Prime 4‘s release date reveal, it was announced that three Amiibo relating to the game would release the same day, December 4. Prices have not yet been confirmed (they are not yet listed on the My Nintendo Store Amiibo page), but they’re likely to retail between $20 and $30. Single-character ones, like the Prime 4 Samus and Sylux ones, typically go for $19.99, while those featuring two characters, like Samus and Vi-O-La (Samus’ motorcycle), are often priced at $29.99.
What We Know About The Metroid Prime 4 Story
Follows Metroid Prime 3
Metroid Prime 4: Beyond will unsurprisingly take place sometime after Prime 3, but also crucially follows Metroid Prime: Federation Force, a co-op spin-off released for the 3DS in 2016. Interestingly, every Prime game takes place between the events of the original Metroid and Metroid 2: Return of Samus, with the series being largely self-contained, focusing through Corruption on a substance known as Phazon.
At the very end of Corruption, if 100% completion was attained, Samus is shown jumping into hyperspace, and is quickly followed by the spaceship owned by Sylux, a fellow bounty hunter introduced in Metroid Prime Hunters. Sylux again appears after the credits in Federation Force, breaking into a Galactic Federation lab and hatching what appears to be a Metroid larva.
In Metroid Prime 4‘s trailers, Sylux is shown flanked by Mochtroids, inferior Metroid clones created by the Space Pirates identifiable by their singular nucleus. This was the first indication that he’s in league with the Space Pirates, but there haven’t been any clues as to what he’s done with the Metroid larva hatched at the end of Federation Force.
Metroid Prime 4 takes place primarily on a planet called Viewros, but begins on the planet Tanamaar, which are both new to the series canon. Samus is summoned to Tanamaar by the Galactic Federation, who are under attack by a legion of Space Pirates led by Sylux. The villains are assaulting the UTO Research Facility, where it’s revealed that the Mochtroid-like beings have mind-control powers.
It’s unclear if these are actually Mochtroids, since the creatures have only previously appeared in Super Metroid, which takes place after the Prime series.
Tanamaar appears to be Prime 4‘s prologue level. At the end, Samus and Sylux engage in a duel, when an errant shot from the latter strikes an artifact in the facility, which activates and seems to open some sort of portal. This is assumed to be how Samus and Slyux end up on Viewros.
New Gameplay Details In Metroid Prime 4: Beyond
Psychic Powers & A Motorcycle
The first major addition to Samus’ arsenal revealed for Metroid Prime 4 was a suite of psychic powers. They appear to primarily be telekinetic abilities, letting Samus move objects without physically touching them. This has been shown to be used in opening special doors, and will likely broadly apply to the game’s puzzles. Samus’ telekinesis also lets her control her Arm Cannon beam with bullet-time slo-mo.
In classic Metroid fashion, distinct regions will likely give Samus new psychic powers to traverse previously inaccessible areas. Between these regions, though, is another new Metroid Prime 4 addition: the Vi-O-La motorcycle. Described by its Amiibo listing as, “a technologically advanced bike to explore the mysterious planet Viewros,” it has been shown to let Samus traverse a vast, open desert area.
It has been speculated that these open areas act as connecting zones to Prime 4‘s more traditional areas, supplanting the series’ classic elevator rides between locales. Combat is possible on Vi-O-La; Samus is shown shooting flying enemies and destroying terrestrial foes with vehicular melee attacks while driving.
Vi-O-La is somehow connected to Samus’ new Vi-O-La suit, the deep red and black duds with a vibrant pink visor she’s been shown to wear in various trailers. Donning a new suit or two is a Metroid tradition, but it’s not yet clear what the function of the Vi-O-La suit is, other than its clear connection to the motorcycle.
Other than these new additions, Prime 4 is expected to adhere to the tradition established by its predecessors. The Vi-O-La sections appear to connect various biomes, which will each likely have their own unique obstacles. Unless you’re playing with mouse controls, Metroid Prime 4: Beyond utilizes classic FPS two-stick movement and camera controls like Metroid Prime Remastered, and unlike the original’s tank controls or Corruption‘s motion controls.
Metroid Prime 4: Beyond
- Released
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December 4, 2025
- ESRB
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T For Teen // Animated Blood, Violence
- Developer(s)
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Retro Studios
- Publisher(s)
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Nintendo
- Engine
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RUDE engine
- Nintendo Switch Release Date
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December 4, 2025
- Nintendo Switch 2 Release Date
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December 4, 2025
