Metroid Prime 4: Beyond finally launches on December 4, 2025, for Nintendo Switch and Switch 2, bringing Samus back in a cross‑gen sci‑fi adventure built to show off 60fps and even 120fps on Nintendo’s new console.
Quick Facts: Metroid Prime 4 You Need to Know
- Release date: December 4, 2025, worldwide, after eight years of waiting since the original announcement.
- Platforms: Launches on Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2, with visual and performance upgrades on Switch 2.
- Title: The full name is Metroid Prime 4: Beyond.
- Global unlock time: Digital copies unlock at midnight local time in most regions (12 a.m. Dec 4 in New York, London, Berlin, Tokyo, Sydney).
- Price: Standard edition starts at $59.99, with a paid upgrade path for the enhanced Switch 2 version in some regions.
Metroid Prime 4 Release Date & Platforms
Metroid Prime 4: Beyond releases on December 4, 2025, closing an 18‑year gap since Metroid Prime 3: Corruption. Nintendo confirmed the exact date during its September 2025 Nintendo Direct, after years of only saying “coming in 2025.”
The game is cross‑gen. You can play Metroid Prime 4 on both the original Nintendo Switch and the newer Nintendo Switch 2, which launched in mid‑2025 and supports higher frame rates and resolutions. Pre‑orders are live on Nintendo’s online store and at major retailers.
Story & Setting: Samus vs Sylux, Going “Beyond”
Metroid Prime 4: Beyond continues the first‑person exploration style of the original Prime trilogy, putting you back in the suit of bounty hunter Samus Aran. This time, Samus is hunted by mysterious sharpshooter Sylux, a rival bounty hunter teased in earlier games.
After a clash in space, Samus crash‑lands on a new world called Viewros, a planet filled with alien wildlife, Space Pirates, and ancient ruins to scan and explore. Nintendo says the game focuses again on slow, tense exploration—solving puzzles, unlocking doors with new abilities, and gradually opening up a large interlinked map.
New Gameplay Tricks: Bike, Psychic Powers & Switch 2 Controls
Metroid Prime 4 keeps the classic scan visor, Morph Ball, and beam upgrades, but adds some major twists.
- Vi‑O‑La hoverbike: Samus now rides a high‑tech bike called Vi‑O‑La, used for fast travel, chase scenes, and some puzzles.
- Psychic abilities: Trailers show Samus using new psychic‑style powers to bend lasers, move objects, and redirect projectiles, adding a puzzle layer on top of shooting.
- Two‑mouse / “mouse‑like” controls on Switch 2: On Switch 2, Joy‑Cons can be used in a special mode that lets you aim more like you would with a mouse, for very precise shooting.
On original Switch, Metroid Prime 4 targets 30–60 frames per second depending on area, while Switch 2 offers a stable 60fps mode and a 120Hz performance mode at a lower resolution for compatible displays.
Core Launch Info at a Glance
Fans React: “Worth the Wait?” Early Reviews & Hands‑On
Early reviews and tech breakdowns landed just before launch, with review round‑ups putting Metroid Prime 4: Beyond in the low‑80s on aggregate sites—solid, though a bit below the very highest‑rated entries in the series. Critics praise the atmosphere, art direction and performance on Switch 2, but some say the design leans too heavily on backtracking and scanning.
A hands‑on radio preview highlighted the new psychic abilities and the more PC‑style aiming on Switch 2, calling it “a classic Metroid Prime loop with modern controls and toys layered on top.” On Reddit, long‑time fans are split: some love the slower, investigative feel, while others hoped for a more action‑heavy showcase after such a long wait.
“It looks like the devs are holding back some big ideas for later areas, but the mix of new powers and classic Metroid exploration already feels right,” one popular community post noted.
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Why Metroid Prime 4 Matters for Nintendo in 2025
Metroid Prime 4: Beyond is more than just another sequel—it is one of Nintendo’s flagship titles to sell the Switch 2 hardware. Nintendo has used it heavily in marketing to show that the new console can handle smoother frame rates and richer 3D worlds.
It also plugs a gap in Nintendo’s lineup. After years focused on Mario, Zelda and Pokémon, Metroid gives Nintendo a darker, more mature sci‑fi series to showcase. With Switch 2 now out and holiday 2025 packed, Metroid Prime 4 helps round out a busy year that also includes big RPGs and racing titles on the platform.
What’s Next for Metroid After Prime 4: Beyond?
Nintendo has not announced DLC or a direct sequel yet, but the word “Beyond” in the title and trailer hints about going “beyond space and time” have fans expecting more story twists and maybe expansions. Given the eight‑year wait and the investment into Switch 2 tech, analysts expect Nintendo to support Metroid Prime 4 with patches, possible challenge modes, and maybe even extra story content down the line.
For now, the focus is launch day: December 4, 2025, when players worldwide finally step back into Samus’s visor on both Switch and Switch 2. If sales are strong, Metroid may shift from a cult favorite to a more regular tentpole in Nintendo’s future release plans.
Attribution: This article is based on official Nintendo store listings and trailers, major outlet coverage from CNN, BBC, CNET, NPR, IGN, Hindustan Times and Economic Times, plus early review and community discussion data.
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