Metroid Prime 4

[TedEH]

I wonder if it would change very many people's perspectives if they knew how many games got half made or even mostly-made and then cancelled when faced with the "delay or release very broken" question. Or cancelled sometimes for stupid-er reasons. I ain't sayin' it's a wise move, but it happens.

I worked on something once that was around a week away from being released when suddenly the IP owner clued in what we were making, went "you know, this product doesn't make a whole lot of sense competitively, does it?" and just canned it, seemingly on a whim, despite it being basically done already.

Edit:
I guess to loop it back around - I can't help but wonder if the time it's taken to get Prime 4 is a result of an actual long dev time, or if this has been cancelled and resurrected a number of times. I could definitely imagine them building the game, deciding "this sucks" or "we don't want this right now", binning it, then trying again later. If it was anything other than Nintendo first-party I'd be very concerned about such a long dev time.

 

[brector]

Hell, Nintendo cancelled Star Fox 2 for SNES. Which was finished, but they were afraid it would compete with N64 game sales

 

[Demiurge]

To @TedEH's point (the quote system isn't working for me), Prime 4 was announced with Bandai-Namco attached in 2017 and whatever they were doing on it got scrapped and the project was moved back to Retro. So there's an explanation of the delay for the past several years. It would be interesting to know if anything was attempted in the decade after 3. Given 3's ending, there was clearly a plan for more.

 

[lattjeful]

I guess to loop it back around - I can't help but wonder if the time it's taken to get Prime 4 is a result of an actual long dev time, or if this has been cancelled and resurrected a number of times. I could definitely imagine them building the game, deciding "this sucks" or "we don't want this right now", binning it, then trying again later. If it was anything other than Nintendo first-party I'd be very concerned about such a long dev time.

It was publicly rebooted at least once, when it changed hands from Bandai Namco to Retro.

Honestly, I think Nintendo doing that teaser all those years ago is the only reason we're even seeing MP4. I bet if they had used their current strategy of waiting to announce a game until it's close to completion, it would have been quietly canned because we wouldn't even know about the project. Not until a game journalist says that "Bandai Namco was working on a Metroid Prime game for Switch," in 2030 or whatever.

 

[Cannibalcricket]

How funny will it be that the second iteration of the Switch will release and Prime 4 gets bumped back again? Is this just a carrot on a string forever? At this point I wouldn't be surprised.

 

[BlackMastodon]

All signs and leaks are pointing to backwards compatibility of games and hardware for the Switch 2.

If they get an update it'll be free, but there's just no way they're going to release a new version.

Not caught up with the thread yet but just wanted to chime in to that these are a pretty bold ask in today's economy. I can't see the reusing the Joycons or making the compatible on the Switch 2/Advance with all the negative attention they got from stick drift. Plus I just assume there isn't a business on earth that would give any convenience away for free, so I doubt that wouldn't make you buy some kind of HD Upgrade or something.

 

[StevenC]

Not caught up with the thread yet but just wanted to chime in to that these are a pretty bold ask in today's economy. I can't see the reusing the Joycons or making the compatible on the Switch 2/Advance with all the negative attention they got from stick drift. Plus I just assume there isn't a business on earth that would give any convenience away for free, so I doubt that wouldn't make you buy some kind of HD Upgrade or something.

The Switch 2 is supposedly having the Joy Cons redesigned. What that entails as yet is unclear exactly, but likely the rail connectors and hopefully the drift. Nintendo just announced some Joy Con charging adapters that imply that they'll be able to connect to the Switch 2 at least wirelessly to play games, but not connect physically to the new rail system.

How funny will it be that the second iteration of the Switch will release and Prime 4 gets bumped back again? Is this just a carrot on a string forever? At this point I wouldn't be surprised.

Unlikely considering Nintendo hasn't delayed a game significantly in years. They announced 2025 for Prime 4 and I'm confident it'll come out then. TotK got delayed from "2022" to "May 2023" so and that's the biggest one we've seen, but also it was worth it. Particularly if Nintendo is planning this as a launch title in late 2025 for Switch 2, I don't really see it being delayed.

 

[Cannibalcricket]

Meh, just kind of lost excitment for Prime 4 with all this talk of new systems and how they will or won't run this or that. I probably won't buy the new system (for myself I'm sure the kids will want it) because there isn't much else I like or am that interested in. I guess I am more hopeful they will remaster Prime 2 at this point and I can just step back and watch my kids have fun on the new stuff that comes out. Maybe they will come out with another handheld standalone like the 3DS, which I enjoyed very much. As for the console wars and all the pissing contest that entails I hope it continues to be a font of crazy new things pushing the bounds of game play and what draws people together. I was born with a Nintendo controller in my hands and will never forget how it felt finding warp pipes in mario or shooting at that that stupid dog in duck hunt. Slaying Mother Brain for the first time and all that good stuff. With Prime 4 on the horizon for so long I've had kids and bought a house. It could be the best game ever, and I hope it is great. The real problem is I've gotten old and disinterested, so whatever happens I'll be watching from the passenger seat while the kiddos have fun. Maybe jumping on as player 2 when they invite me.

 

[Demiurge]

^I feel that to an extent, the disinterest with age. I used to love gaming because it was really the only pastime that stops the dogs from barking, so to speak- frustration in my creative endeavors too frequently rhyme with other frustrations in life and therefore pale as an escape. I find myself a fan of "metroidvania" games and I think that one of the main reasons is that most are designed so you can get something accomplished in them about a half an hour at a time (get to a new area, grind for a drop, beat a boss). The Prime series were probably the last games with which I had time to really immerse myself, and it has been a long fucking time.

 

[TedEH]

Maybe they will come out with another handheld standalone like the 3DS, which I enjoyed very much.

This seems pretty unlikely, I would think. The Switch was pretty clearly positioned as a successor / merger of the console and handheld lines together. I don't expect we'll see another dedicated handheld until their mainline consoles go back to being non-portable.

 

[Cannibalcricket]

This seems pretty unlikely, I would think. The Switch was pretty clearly positioned as a successor / merger of the console and handheld lines together. I don't expect we'll see another dedicated handheld until their mainline consoles go back to being non-portable.

Hopes and dreams

 

[Alberto7]

Meh, just kind of lost excitment for Prime 4 with all this talk of new systems and how they will or won't run this or that. I probably won't buy the new system (for myself I'm sure the kids will want it) because there isn't much else I like or am that interested in. I guess I am more hopeful they will remaster Prime 2 at this point and I can just step back and watch my kids have fun on the new stuff that comes out. Maybe they will come out with another handheld standalone like the 3DS, which I enjoyed very much. As for the console wars and all the pissing contest that entails I hope it continues to be a font of crazy new things pushing the bounds of game play and what draws people together. I was born with a Nintendo controller in my hands and will never forget how it felt finding warp pipes in mario or shooting at that that stupid dog in duck hunt. Slaying Mother Brain for the first time and all that good stuff. With Prime 4 on the horizon for so long I've had kids and bought a house. It could be the best game ever, and I hope it is great. The real problem is I've gotten old and disinterested, so whatever happens I'll be watching from the passenger seat while the kiddos have fun. Maybe jumping on as player 2 when they invite me.

I feel you there, but honestly, as a PS5 and a Switch owner, the Switch is kind of in a class of its own imo. Based on that, all talk of console specs and comparisons surrounding/involving the Switch is just a bunch of moot points at the end of the day. The fact that Breath of the Wild ran at 15 fps in certain small areas of the game for a few seconds at a time detracted ZERO enjoyment of the game for me. Are those kinds of hiccups flaws that would be cool if they were ironed out? Sure, yeah, but they don't take away from my enjoyment of what the company has to offer. Nintendo will keep on Nintendoing, and what they are masters of is getting you to enjoy their stuff. They're an entertainment company first and a videogame one a close second.

With that said, as has been tradition in my family since the NES, I will be buying the new console. For Metroid Prime 4, yes, but also because I am confident they'll produce enough quality content on it one way or another to feel like I've got my money's worth. Hell, for as much of a confusing mess as it was, I even enjoyed the Wii U.

Maybe I'm just easy to please, idk.

 

[StevenC]

I should add to my last comment, Joy Con drift is a big deal and they're the worst built thing Nintendo has released probably, I'm pretty sure Sony and Microsoft use the same components for their analog sticks. As does the pro controller. So this can probably also be fixed, as I've only seen reports of the PS5 suffering drift.

INintendo will keep on Nintendoing, and what they are masters of is getting you to enjoy their stuff. They're an entertainment company first and a videogame one a close second.

With that said, as has been tradition in my family since the NES, I will be buying the new console. For Metroid Prime 4, yes, but also because I am confident they'll produce enough quality content on it one way or another to feel like I've got my money's worth. Hell, for as much of a confusing mess as it was, I even enjoyed the Wii U.

Maybe I'm just easy to please, idk.

So much this

 

[brector]

I should add to my last comment, Joy Con drift is a big deal and they're the worst built thing Nintendo has released probably, I'm pretty sure Sony and Microsoft use the same components for their analog sticks. As does the pro controller. So this can probably also be fixed, as I've only seen reports of the PS5 suffering drift.

Here is the fix for the PS5 issue (if you are handy and can solder): https://www.amazon.com/TXLIMINHONG-...6b000ccb5ef91&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl

 

[wankerness]

I should add to my last comment, Joy Con drift is a big deal and they're the worst built thing Nintendo has released probably, I'm pretty sure Sony and Microsoft use the same components for their analog sticks. As does the pro controller. So this can probably also be fixed, as I've only seen reports of the PS5 suffering drift.

Everyone uses those same goddam connectors, even some of the 3rd party controllers for computer/ps/xbox marketed as being more durable, and the expensive Nintendo "pro" controllers. They're awful and a real scourge on the gaming community. It's hard to tell if this is a capitalist thing with that one shitty company having a monopoly cause they make the cheapest things, or if it's a conspiracy among the gaming studios for "planned obsolescence" where most users will have to buy a new controller periodically to deal with the stick drift.

If nintendo does the morally correct thing and makes controllers that are not subject to this (hall effect controllers) then I expect the system will cost far more. I find it unlikely, I bet they keep using the same damn sticks and charging people for the privilege of having to replace their bad controllers every so often. I've had BOTH my pro controllers get stick drift, after paying a premium for them with the idea they'd last longer than joycons - they are a great controller feeling-wise, but I've had them both fail pretty spectacularly even compared to PS4 controller, which I also had to replace multiples of thanks to stick drift. But, I used the PS4 controllers for hundreds more hours each, and one of my Nintendo Pro Controllers also completely stopped charging spontaneously (it ONLY works while plugged in - it wasn't like a slow decline of battery life, it went from ~8 hours to 0 seconds). Ironically both the joycons I have are fine, but it's partly cause I almost never use them unless it's in handheld mode.

 

[StevenC]

Everyone uses those same goddam connectors, even some of the 3rd party controllers for computer/ps/xbox marketed as being more durable, and the expensive Nintendo "pro" controllers. They're awful and a real scourge on the gaming community. It's hard to tell if this is a capitalist thing with that one shitty company having a monopoly cause they make the cheapest things, or if it's a conspiracy among the gaming studios for "planned obsolescence" where most users will have to buy a new controller periodically to deal with the stick drift.

If nintendo does the morally correct thing and makes controllers that are not subject to this (hall effect controllers) then I expect the system will cost far more. I find it unlikely, I bet they keep using the same damn sticks and charging people for the privilege of having to replace their bad controllers every so often. I've had BOTH my pro controllers get stick drift, after paying a premium for them with the idea they'd last longer than joycons - they are a great controller feeling-wise, but I've had them both fail pretty spectacularly even compared to PS4 controller, which I also had to replace multiples of thanks to stick drift. But, I used the PS4 controllers for hundreds more hours each, and one of my Nintendo Pro Controllers also completely stopped charging spontaneously (it ONLY works while plugged in - it wasn't like a slow decline of battery life, it went from ~8 hours to 0 seconds). Ironically both the joycons I have are fine, but it's partly cause I almost never use them unless it's in handheld mode.

Wow, that's surprising. I have a couple of pro controllers from day 1 that are as good as the day I bought them. That really sucks, sorry that happened to you.

My brother had a joy con drift on him, and a friend had a few drift. One of my left joy cons loses connection and the stick doesn't click. Also the rail doesn't lock anymore but I haven't investigated whether that's the joy con or body. It's my Skyward Sword one as well, so I'll need to get it fixed.

 

[wankerness]

I wouldn't be surprised if the problem with the pro controllers is simply dirt getting in there. The "ball" of the stick is more exposed on the pro controller than say, a PS4 or PS5 controller, so it is probably more prone to gunk buildup. Unfortunately taking the things apart and putting them back together is like advanced surgery so I'm not too eager to do it. At least, it was with PS5 - there's all kinds of ribbon cables and things in there that you have to disconnect to get at it. Maybe the switch pro controller is easier cause they don't have bullshit like a speaker, mic, and touchpad built-in. I'll have to try that with the less functional of the two and see how bad it is, I guess.

 

[TedEH]

Even at that, doing that surgery isn't a guarantee. I've pulled apart PS5 and XBone controllers for drift reasons, and most of the time it hasn't been permanent. I gatta assume there's a major flaw in the design of these things in the first place. It doesn't take much at all for them to break down.