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Nintendo Throws Out Metroid Prime 4 Work, Restarts With Retro Studios (arstechnica.com)

Nintendo is essentially restarting development on the highly anticipated Metroid Prime 4, saying the game as it currently exists "has not reached the standards we seek in a sequel to the Metroid Prime series." Ars Technica reports: The surprise announcement comes from Nintendo General Manager for Development Shinya Takahashi. He said in a YouTube video posted this morning that current Metroid Prime 4 producer Kensuke Tanabe will begin "collaborating" on the game with Retro Studios, the studio responsible for the original Metroid Prime trilogy. Tanabe has previously worked as producer on multiple Retro-developed Metroid Prime titles.

"The current development status of the game is very challenged and we have made a very difficult decision as a development team," Takahashi said in the subtitled video. "We have decided to reexamine the development structure and change it." "This change will essentially mean restarting development from the beginning, so the completion of the game will be delayed from our initial internal plan," Takahashi continued. "It will be a long road until the next time we will be able to update you on the development progress, and development time will be extensive."

29 of 77 comments (clear)

  1. Re:So like... Metroid sequel without the wall? by Narcocide · · Score: 1

    You're starting to reek of desperation.

  2. Worked for Capcom by rsilvergun · · Score: 1

    and Resident Evil 2

    --
    Hi! I make Firefox Plug-ins. Check 'em out @ https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/youtube-mp3-podcaster/
    1. Re:Worked for Capcom by mentil · · Score: 1

      Also Blizzard and Overwatch. It started out as an MMORPG called 'Titan' but the assets got reused for a completely different type of game. Blizzard and Nintendo have similar reputations for all of their games being extremely polished and high-quality. I'm sure Nintendo doesn't want another 'Other M', and would rather start over than run the franchise into the ground. It's already pretty coolly received in Japan, and noone at Nintendo wants to touch it since its creator Gunpei Yokoi died. Mercury Steam did a great job with Samus Returns, so maybe they would've been a better choice than Retro Studios for new ideas, although I don't fault Nintendo for not wanting to risk restarting development twice.

      --
      Corruption is convincing someone that the selfless ideal is the same as their selfish ideal.
  3. Re: I never heard of Metroid by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative

    What rock have you been living under? Or are you just that young?

    Metroid Prime was the killer app of the Gamecube/X-Box/Playstation 2 generation. Metroid had much better single player gameplay than Halo, while Halo's gameplay lent itself better to multiplayer and actually had multiplayer. By the next console generation (Wii/360/PS3), it was all about the (online) multiplayer, and Samus all but vanished outside of Smash Bros.

    Metroid stars Samus Aran, who is part Lara Croft, part Boba Fett/Master Chief. Metroid Prime is part Tomb Raider, part Halo.

  4. Re:GAME OVER PLAYER TRUMP by Narcocide · · Score: 1

    Do you even remember who you're trying to troll?

  5. Re:Hey Narcothide... you're a stable genius right? by Narcocide · · Score: 1

    Oh, I'm a genius alright, but nothing even approaching stable. You'd best BTFO.

  6. Re:I never heard of Metroid by LordKronos · · Score: 2

    That's a really good question. Who DOES care whether or not you've heard of Metroid?

  7. Cool. by RyanFenton · · Score: 3, Insightful

    As long as it's less like 'Other M', and more like any of the Prime games eventually - then great.

    It's somewhat odd - but when the original creator went back to the series, taking over after the prime series, he really made a mess out of the character and her motivations.

    It's nice to see that they seem to be learning that lesson, and putting it more in the hands of ILM, and less in the hands of 'Lucas' himself in this case.

    The whole point of Samus was she showed how little gender in a trained warrior should matter, kicking butt in power armor says all you need. Flashbacks to childhood and freezing before a critter you already killed like 5 times is NOT adding to that character, and not anywhere worth taking away gameplay control. And that's just like 1% of the things wrong that debacle.

    Ryan Fenton

    1. Re:Cool. by sexconker · · Score: 2

      The characterization in Other M was entirely in line with how the character was portrayed in the manga, which is canon.

      Samus has had pretty much no other characterization outside of that.
      In the first 3 games you don't get squat for characterization.
      You finally start to get something with Fusion.

      Metroid Prime is not canonical. Aggressively so, in fact. It was considered to not be a "real" Metroid series. Until it sold well, then they walked that line back a bit. It's now a "real" Metroid series in a different timeline/reality/whatever. In Japan, this is "gaiden" status. It's a spin-off and is not treated with the same respect or held in the same regard as the main thing. Perhaps today's video, which included a shameful "we had to give it to the Americans because we can't do it right" admission means their attitude is changing in that regard.

      I'm sure we don't need to get into Hunters or Pinball. Zero Mission was a remake of the original and Samus Returns was a remake of Metroid II.

      The only other things we had for characterization were Nintendo Power comics and the Captain N TV show.

      The worst thing about Other M was the combat (the dodging mechanic made it pointlessly easy) and "the baby". The "pixel hunt" portions were dumb but I didn't have a problem dealing with them. In terms of characterization, it's the most we've ever gotten for the character in any of the games, by far. It's totally in line with what's canonical for the character. There's no reason to think Samus can't be afraid of Ridley, or shocked to see Ridley again, or shocked to realize that the stupid little bird thing turned out to be Ridley / Ridley's clone / Super Mecha Cyborg Zombie Clone Ridley.

      But the Ridley reaction is the one concrete thing people go to all the time when they want to complain about the game. Because the complaint that they started out with - MISOGYNY - was too absurd to gain much traction. People literally complained that it was misogynistic that Samus, when working with a military unit, had to follow orders from her CO (a man) and not just unload with all her fucking weapons. It was a stupid plot device to prevent the use of her full arsenal at the start of the game, sure. But it's better than just starting her with the suit and no abilities (not even the fucking morph ball) every damned sequel. The characterization of her and Adam fits in with canon, and even ties into Fusion. Her reaction to Ridley fits, too.

      It all fits, whether you like it or not.

    2. Re:Cool. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Because the complaint that they started out with - MISOGYNY - was too absurd to gain much traction.

      Whether it's misogyny or not, there's plenty of elements about Other M that don't add up. From how short she is to how she so quickly turned to working with the military unit when she dislikes following orders. In fact, just about everything about Adam Malkovich in Other M comes across as whiny and the way he acts really doesn't jive with the person presented: "The real Adam would have said the same thing about that incident, but he would have softened the blow. He was relentless in his criticism, but he always cared... He was not a machine obsessed with duty. No such compassion could exist in that computer...". Yet in nearly every way, the computer in Metroid Fusion was the more caring and compassionate one than the real Adam in Other M.

      I could sort of accept that seeing Adam again she was flustered, but given that she left serving directly in the Federation under Adam precisely because she didn't like how things turned out being left under his command, it seems very confusing she'd be so quick to blindly follow him again. In fact, the very first part seems to indicate she wants to stay precisely because she realizes that she is capable in a way--say, overpowered--that leaves them rather defenseless. So, leaving it to Adam to eventually authorize usage or follow his direction on movements is precisely why so many people died and the whole situation played out yet again how it had in the past. How could she in Metroid Fusion continue to honor the man as some sort of "perfect military mind"?

      For Ridley, maybe that fits into the fear of yet more people dying and realizing that as powerful as she is, she hasn't yet to stop Ridley for good? Yet it's Anthony, not Adam, that comes to her rescue to knock her to her senses. And what does Adam do? Self-sacrifice by entering an area to kill the Metroids he presupposes are ice proof--yet the Metroids in Metroid Fusion are not, so it doesn't follow. Instead, it comes across almost as traitorous to debilitate Samus and simply suicide for no reason.

      Really, I encourage you to play through Other M and then play through Fusion. Do you simply see Samus growing up a bit (where oddly she seemed grown up in Metroid, Metroid 2, and Super Metroid)? Or do you see there being some gross disconnect in her reaction? You can say all you like the manga was canon, but for as much as the games had any story, it's clear the story in game has a very weird disconnect as if Other M occurred before Metroid even.

    3. Re:Cool. by bluefoxlucid · · Score: 1

      I remember how he whipped her in the beginning of the SNES game, so it fits.

      He tortured, murdered, and ate her parents in front of her when she was like six years old. While mocking her.

      On the other hand, she already killed him several times.

      Honestly, though, Ridley's entire species was wiped out by the GF because they were "too dangerous". He can regenerate from cells. I'm not surprised he's a vindictive sadist.

  8. Re:Hey Narcothide... you're a stable genius right? by Narcocide · · Score: 1

    Yea, maybe you're right. Or, maybe I'm just bored and lonely, and by feeding me more attention you're playing right into my nefarious plot. But then, you wouldn't mind being my pawn. You like being a pawn of just any random person who comes walking by, don't you? So in this way we are actually helping each other out, comrade.

  9. Re:Or maybe you're just a punk ass traitor bitch. by Shikaku · · Score: 1

    It's called a baitjob anon, learn what that means.

  10. Re:I never heard of Metroid by dstyle5 · · Score: 1

    I do. :) The first Metroid Prime was fantastic. Haven't played the 2nd one yet. Third one was a bit disappointing. Hoping Retro can get back MP 1's form. One of my fav games of all time.

  11. Man Nintendo... by skam240 · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Man Nintendo, I love you. Rather than release a pile of crap on us you've chosen to lose in the short term to keep the franchise strong in the long term. Not only is it proper business sense (if you can afford to just scrap a half way done game of course) but it's showing proper respect for your fan base. Sure, it'd been better if the Metroid they've been developing was actually good and we had a more timely release but at least they have the integrity to not feed us garbage.

    --
    I ignore Anonymous Coward posts. If you want to discuss something, that's awesome. Log in.
    1. Re:Man Nintendo... by sexconker · · Score: 2

      Rather than release a pile of crap on us you've chosen to lose in the short term to keep the franchise strong in the long term.

      Keep in mind they released fucking Metroid Prime: Federation Farce. They can't care too much.

    2. Re:Man Nintendo... by _merlin · · Score: 1

      But do they still have the team that developed the original Metroid Prime trilogy? Game developers are highly mobile, and the studio may have lost the talent that made the Prime trilogy what it was.

    3. Re:Man Nintendo... by thegarbz · · Score: 1

      Not only is it proper business sense (if you can afford to just scrap a half way done game of course) but it's showing proper respect for your fan base.

      I don't understand. Why not just say it's the greatest game ever and publish it.
      - Todd Howard.

    4. Re:Man Nintendo... by Anubis+IV · · Score: 1

      Quite a bit of the original talent has indeed moved on since the Wii days when the third installment was released.

  12. Hey EA! by ArhcAngel · · Score: 1

    Hey EA and Ubisoft! THIS IS HOW A QUALITY COMPANY DOES THINGS. Please take note. Oh who am I kidding? EA is the Beelzebub of game companies.

    --
    "A person is smart. People are dumb, panicky dangerous animals and you know it." - K
    1. Re:Hey EA! by mentil · · Score: 1

      Not true. Beelzebub gives you something you want when you sell him your soul.

      --
      Corruption is convincing someone that the selfless ideal is the same as their selfish ideal.
  13. Re:I never heard of Metroid by mukinrestak · · Score: 1

    Two was about as good as One was, and is absolutely worth playing. I'd personally suggest playing the trilogy collection on Wii since the Wiimote controls were a big improvement over the Gamecube control scheme. You didn't have to lock on to strafe, and aiming felt perfect. It's a shame no other first person games on Wii quite got the controls as perfect as the Metroid Prime Trilogy did.

  14. Re: I never heard of Metroid by aliquis · · Score: 1

    Don't you guys have Nintendos?

  15. Re: Troll? We're going to HANG you fucking traito by aliquis · · Score: 1

    I agree we the story just not who's who.

  16. Re: I never heard of Metroid by drinkypoo · · Score: 1

    "Metroid Prime was the killer app of the Gamecube/X-Box/Playstation 2 generation."

    What? False by any measure. Halo outsold it, if it were so great then they would have sold a lot more GameCubes, the graphics looked antiquated from day one because the cube was slow, etc. And having played both, play control was vastly better in Halo. It didn't hurt Halo that GC controllers were garbage, either.

    "Metroid Prime is part Tomb Raider, part Halo."

    Metroid prime was part Duke nukem forever, part marathon 2, in that the graphics sucked and the gameplay was disappointing.

    --
    "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
  17. Re: I never heard of Metroid by drinkypoo · · Score: 1

    Different AC but jesus christ lmao, you have to be trolling.

    I owned both consoles, and both games... I both win and lose :/

    --
    "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
  18. Re: I never heard of Metroid by Spacelem · · Score: 1

    The graphics were good enough to do the job, and to my eye they still look perfectly decent. The GC may have been slower than contemporary consoles, but graphics are just one (IMO pretty minor) part in what makes a game good (e.g. Thief graphics are terrible by today's standards, and yet it's still a better game to play than a lot of modern AAA titles).

    And what do you mean "GC controllers were garbage"? It was one of the most comfortable and pleasant controllers ever released for a console, and I was pretty disappointed in the Wiimote in comparison.

  19. Re: I never heard of Metroid by drinkypoo · · Score: 1

    "And what do you mean "GC controllers were garbage"? It was one of the most comfortable and pleasant controllers ever released for a console"

    It was too small and the angle at which you had to hold it was too narrow, and it had too few buttons and the buttons were both oddly shaped and weirdly placed. I have adult-sized hands though, so perhaps that's why I'm so emphatic about it. It seems like it was okay for children. Sadly, only Microsoft has ever made a controller for adults, and they discontinued it because they only wanted to make one controller at a time, and the smaller one takes up less shelf space. But regardless, most lists of the gaming industry's worst controllers include GameCube.

    --
    "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
  20. Re: I never heard of Metroid by Spacelem · · Score: 1

    I don't have large hands, but they're not tiny (23 cm handspan). I rate the GC controller as my favourite ever console controller (the wireless Wavebird is the best), and I'm genuinely surprised that they aren't highly rated.

    That said, a quick check of a few websites ranking console controllers shows that it's pretty subjective, and the GC doesn't seem to appear on any of the worst controller lists.