After 19 years of waiting, Metroid 5 is finally coming in the form of Metroid Dread, the next main installment in the 2D Metroid series. Fans of Nintendo's sci-fi action-exploration series have waited long enough to see the series finally move forward: 2017's Metroid: Samus Returns serving as a remake of Metroid 2: Return of Samus, initially released in 1991.
Co-developed once again by Spanish developer MercurySteam, Metroid Dread stunned long-time fans of the series with its reveal during this week's Nintendo Direct, however, the major reason behind this surprise comes down to one big thing: its title. Many have pointed to how Metroid Dread is a revival of the canceled Nintendo DS 2D Metroid game in development from 2005 - 2008. What many don't know, is that this revival of Metroid Dread bears a striking resemblance to the development of Metroid: Samus Returns.
A Metroid Dread-ful Wait
For those unaware, Metroid Dread was a cancelled Nintendo DS game that would have served as the fifth entry in the 2D Metroid franchise, and the next main game in the series timeline: The concurrent Metroid Prime series taking place entirely between the events of the original Metroid and Metroid 2: Return of Samus. The game was to be directed by series creator Yoshio Sakamoto, and would have featured an art style similar to that of Metroid Fusion, the most recent game in the series at that time.
The game was originally slated to be released in 2005, before being delayed to November 2006, followed by a more vague "2006" release window, until ultimately disappearing from Nintendo's release slate altogether. It's worth noting that these delays could have also been due to the crowded release schedule of Metroid games, with Metroid Prime Hunters releasing in early 2006, and Metroid Prime 3: Corruption following in August 2007.
While Nintendo has had many cancelled projects over the years, few have been as publicly aired out as Metroid Dread. Unlike other projects, this game was listed in several gaming magazines and promotional pieces for the DS, and was a game Nintendo was seemingly very confident in releasing. Metroid Dread did re-enter development some time in 2008, with a demo being presented to Nintendo Software Technology at E3 2009.
According to Sakamoto, this version of Dread did not live up to his or Nintendo's expectations and was ultimately cancelled. With that, and despite a teaser in Metroid Prime 3: Corruption reading "Project Dread is nearing completion," there would be no new 2D Metroid title until 2017's Metroid: Samus Returns which, as previously slated, was a remake of Metroid 2: Return of Samus.
What's worth noting is that Yoshio Sakamoto has always left the door open regarding reviving Dread. In a 2010 interview with defunct website GamesTM, Sakamoto refrained from commenting when asked about Dread, stating "My hope, if it's at all possible, is to immediately restart the situation from scratch."
Sakamoto has already made it clear that the version of Metroid Dread that is finally releasing this October is different from the version Nintendo was developing over 15 years ago. The game will retain the horror atmosphere, story, and tension intended for the original game. It is entirely possible that Sakamoto waited all this time for elements such as the EMMI robot's inclusion, a tyrant-style enemy that hunts Samus down, adding stealth elements to the Nintendo series for the first time. So far, everything about the 2021 incarnation of Metroid Dread, right down to its very title, seems like a labor of love for long-time fans of the series.
Samus Returns Similarities
What matters here is that, in an uncharacteristic turn of events, Nintendo has revived a project that many fans had already given up hope for. While it may not be the exact Metroid Dread that the team was working on so long ago, it already seems like some of the concepts from the canceled DS game have been revived for Metroid's Nintendo Switch debut. What many fans may not know is that Metroid Dread's revival shares some ironic similarities to the lead-up to Metroid: Samus Returns, which many fans had also considered canceled before it was revealed at E3 2017.
Before it was revealed that MercurySteam would be leading development of the next 2D Metroid title, the same studio was reportedly working on the Metroid IP. Reports first broke in mid-2015 claiming that the Spanish studio, responsible for co-developing the Castlevania: Lords of Shadow series, had pitched a Metroid prototype for Wii U and Nintendo 3DS in the same year.
It's important to note that at the time Nintendo was (and still is) very protective of its IP, with the possibility of outsourcing development of one of its key franchises seeming rather unlikely. This was before projects like Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle and Cadence of Hyrule were a reality. However, behind the scenes, this is when Nintendo started opening up to more collaborations, resulting in those games and the upcoming Super Mario animated film.
Understandably, at the time, many fans and news outlets wrote off the possibility of Nintendo outsourcing such a storied franchise to a relatively unproven developer. Many assumed it was a failed pitch, despite the fact that it was this exact scenario that put Retro Studios in charge of the Metroid Prime series. A lot of the reason fans wrote off this news was also because reports had broke the year before stating another developer had made a similar pitch as well.
Luigi's Mansion 3 developer Next Level Games had pitched a 2D Metroid game for Nintendo 3DS, which was also reportedly scrapped in favor of developing Luigi's Mansion 2: Dark Moon. The developer would go on to produce Metroid Prime: Federation Force for Nintendo 3DS instead, which was met with major backlash given the lack of new 2D or 3D Metroid titles after the failure of Metroid: Other M.
With this in mind, it's not hard to imagine why Metroid: Samus Returns came as such as shock to fans when it was finally revealed at E3 2017 after being considered canceled for two whole years. What was, at one point, written off as yet another victim of the rumor mill turned out to be true, however fans would have to wait two years to find out. This also bears similarities to the leaks regarding Sonic Rangers, the upcoming Sonic the Hedgehog game that had been leaked months in advance. Fans were unaware until Sega itself leaked the game's official title.
Both Metroid Dread and Samus Returns were once considered to be cancelled or failed projects that inevitably turned out to be real. Due to the longevity of game development and how hard projects can be to manage, it's entirely possible that even some of the most unrealistic projects rumored to be in development right now could be real.
Metroid Dread will release on October 8, 2021, exclusively for Nintendo Switch.