I Wonder if It Would Actually Literally Kill Nintendo to Advertise Metroid Prime 4

We're less than two weeks away from the release of Metroid Prime 4 and, I don't know, it seems like the marketing of the game has been a little lackluster. I think there can be little doubt that the game is gorgeous and puts the technical capabilities of Nintendo's latest Switch 2 hardware on display more than adequately. Attempting to set my Metroid bias aside, it looks like a game that—had I never played a Metroid game or even heard of the series—I would want to immediately buy if I saw it in an ad. It looks so good in fact that I'd likely buy a Switch 2 just to play it if I didn't already have one.

It's always seemed like the Metroid Prime series has had such strong potential to reach a mass audience but fell just short because of its (intentionally) obtuse nature. No entry thus far has felt this way more than with Metroid Prime 4. And with the addition of NPCs like Myles MacKenzie (obviously), it seems like Nintendo is also aware that it has this potential and are possibly trying to take steps to achieve that.

There has been a lot of discussion since the embargo on the preview event coverage was lifted over what exactly Nintendo—and those in charge of the Metroid Prime series, specifically—are doing with the Prime series. There is some speculation that the producers of the series are wanting to expand the lore of the Metroid universe beyond Samus.

Actually that's not as speculative as we first thought. Series produce Kensuke Tanabe said as much right here in the recently released Metroid Prime 1-3 art book:

The Metroid Prime series, by its nature, is more of a side story (as it doesn't cover the main narrative of the series). However, precisely because of that, I started thinking, "Couldn't we create a title that focuses on characters other than Samus?" This idea eventually came to life over 10 years later as Metroid Prime: Federation Force. -Kensuke Tanabe, Metroid Prime series producer

So it seems like this may have been the plan for a long long time. We were introduced to some Galactic Federation NPCs in Metroid Prime 3 of course. It didn't do much to interfere with the gameplay of the series then and so we didn't have hundreds of people complaining about perfectly good and handsome characters like Myles MacKenzie back then. But you could see where they were going with it.

By expanding the story out beyond the confines of Samus and her power suit, they seemingly want to flesh out the world that the Metroid games exist in and show us more of the Galactic Federation and the types of characters that exist within it. I think this is actually good thing and I'll write more about that in its own piece soon. I feel like they want to do this because they see that aforementioned potential the series has and they really want to give it its "Breath of the Wild" moment.

It seems like they want to sort of reboot the series, specifically within the Prime series, while leaving the traditional 2D games alone. Those games have their own ongoing lore and contiguous story line. One that I think is amazing in spite of their tragic lack of Myles MacKenzie. So a bit like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild in that way.

But while it does have the potential to do so, I struggle to imagine Prime 4 moving too far beyond Metroid's niche but dedicated fan base in spite of my strong desire for Myles to get out there and accepted, justifiably, by the world at large.

With BotW there was a lot of marketing and a lot of communication regarding the game. We had Anouma out there doing interviews with the press, clearly stating that open world Zeldas were going to be the series norm going forward. BotW was just the start and they made sure there was no confusion about it. They were clear in their communication and there was strong marketing to along with it.

But I'm seeing neither one happen with Metroid Prime 4. We're left kind of confused about what they are doing with the series. And that is a shame because if any game could use a strong marketing push, it's this one. I mean, it's freaking gorgeous. I think that all you need to do is get this in front of people's eyeballs and they are going to want it.

I give Nintendo a hard time on this blog, and I will continue to do so, but I do love them. I mean, they did create Myles MacKenzie, so how could I hate them? But I do think that there are places where they could easily do better when it comes to the Metroid series and it can be incredibly frustrating at times when they just. . .don't. And it's never been more so than with Metroid Prime 4, a game that clearly has the sauce.

I just worry that after creating an amazing character such as Myles, they won't do enough to market his appeal, you know? This series is evolving and I'm okay with it evolving. I just want to know that it is evolving. I still have my 2D Metroids for when I want a traditional experience. I can go into the Prime games moving beyond their cornerstone characteristics with an open mind. I just want to know dammit!