Development of Metroid Prime 4 was restarted at Retro Studios back in January, and fans will likely have to wait quite a bit longer before getting to play this highly-anticipated game. However, players may be happy to hear that development is indeed moving forward, as Retro Studios has hired an artist who previously worked on several games in the Halo series.

An article by Video Games Chronicle reveals that Kyle Hefley is now working at Retro Studios as the lead character artist on Metroid Prime 4. Hefley spent nine years at 343 Industries, where he created the character models for the soldiers and aliens in Halo 4, Halo 5: Guardians, and Halo Infinite, the forthcoming Halo game that has been confirmed as an Xbox Project Scarlett launch title. Hefley also worked on Call of Duty: Black Ops, one of the best selling games in history, and action-adventure game Sleeping Dogs.

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The hiring of Hefley is a huge win for Retro Studios and the Metroid Prime 4 development team. While many Halo 5: Guardians reviews were harsh, with some heavily criticizing its story, it was frequently said that the game and its character designs looked brilliant. Certainly, many Metroid players will be excited to see if Hefley is able to achieve this same level of success with his work on Metroid Prime 4.

To note, the last update that Nintendo gave about the game came in January with the announcement that Metroid Prime 4 had been delayed. In April, job listings revealed that Retro Studios was hiring for several major positions, such as art director and physics engineer. With the understanding that Hefley has recently joined the team, it is possible that these positions are just now being filled, which may suggest that it could be a while before fans get to see or hear more from the game.

However, there are several other major Nintendo Switch exclusives releasing in the next year to keep fans occupied. In early 2020, for example, Animal Crossing: New Horizons will be released on the console, and Bayonetta 3 is  in development as well.  Furthermore, the Switch already has a strong lineup of titles that can be played for hours, such as Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, and while none of these games are quite Metroid Prime 4,  they aren't terrible ways to spend some time.

Metroid Prime 4 is in development for Nintendo Switch.

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Source: Video Games Chronicle