29 November 2025

Some Metroid Prime 4 Early Copies Are Out in the Wild

By newsgame

Metroid Prime 4: Beyond is still several days away from its December 4 launch, and yet it appears some copies of the Nintendo Switch 2 edition have already surfaced. A post by Reddit user Shadow-Gang shared an image of a physical copy of the game in hand, with comments in the thread humorously suggesting Nintendo would be knocking on their door soon.

The appearance of early copies like this isn’t unprecedented for Nintendo titles, but for a high-profile release like Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, it does carry risks. Recent Switch and Switch 2 games like Pokemon Legends: Z-A and Donkey Kong Bananza also slipped past their street dates, which led to datamining attempts and warnings from Nintendo about potential spoilers. With Metroid Prime 4 now apparently following a similar pattern, the same could happen with it as well, and its long development history makes the situation especially precarious.

Metroid Prime 4’s Long Road to Release Complicates Things

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Metroid Prime 4: Beyond isn’t just one of the most anticipated Metroid games in recent memory but one of the most anticipated games of all time. After Metroid Prime 3: Corruption was released in 2007, there was no official word of the series continuing until a full decade later, when Metroid Prime 4 was officially announced via teaser trailer during Nintendo’s E3 presentation. Since then, the game has fought an uphill battle throughout its development, surviving a change in studio and a complete reboot.

June 2017: Metroid Prime 4 announced
February 2018: Confirmation of development by Bandai Namco Studios
January 2019: Announcement that development has been restarted under Retro Studios
June 18, 2024: Game is revealed with its new title, Metroid Prime 4: Beyond
September 12, 2025: Nintendo announces the game’s official release date of December 4, 2025

Needless to say, for Metroid Prime 4: Beyond copies to already be out in the wild borders on disruptive timing. The game has been under a microscope for years, and any leaked footage or early impressions have the potential to influence its reception before Nintendo intended for it to be received. That possibility stands out particularly because each trailer and preview for Metroid Prime 4 has raised questions about whether this entry will stay true to the series’ identity or leave it all behind in search of new territory.

Metroid Prime 4: Beyond Fans Have Some Concerns

Open Zones and the Vi-0-La Motorcycle

Firstly, Metroid Prime 4: Beyond‘s open exploration segments have sparked concerns among fans, though the only thing to make those judgments on at the moment are the game’s trailers. One post from Reddit user UnlikelyLikably opened the comment floodgates with a picture of an open desert in Metroid Prime 4 and a negative sentiment attached. Even so, plenty of fans in the thread expressed hope that these open sections would only act as a gateway between the game’s more traditional Metroid Prime zones.

Samus’ new Vi-0-La motorcycle in Metroid Prime 4: Beyond has also sparked some debate. While early previews of the game didn’t have a chance to try out the new bike, some fans have still expressed their concerns online: like this post from Reddit user GrassForCats. More than anything else, it seems that most concerns fans have with the motorocycle is that it could disrupt the slower, more methodical pacing of traditional Metroid Prime games.

Companion Character

Metroid Prime 4: Beyond‘s companion character has been yet another point of contention for the game, with early previews calling the character “annoying.” The sidekick — a Galactic Federation engineer named Myles Mackenzie — is seen as having the potential to negatively impact the series’ trademark sense of isolation, but that remains to be proven.

Even with these concerns, however, Retro Studios has a strong track record. The original Metroid Prime trilogy is highly regarded, and the studio’s later work on Donkey Kong Country Returns and Tropical Freeze only strengthened its reputation. As such, it is well within reason to remain optimistic about Metroid Prime 4: Beyond.

Metroid Prime 4: Beyond’s Switch 2 Exclusive Features

Some Metroid Prime 4: Beyond Fans Can Try The Game Early

It’s worth pointing out that, per the Reddit post already mentioned, it is the Switch 2 edition of Metroid Prime 4 that is currently out in the wild. On the Switch 2, Metroid Prime 4 features higher resolution targets, improved texture quality, HDR, and up to 120 fps. Finally, the upgraded Joy-Con system also enables a mouse-style aiming option that previews described as beneficial for fast combat encounters.

With early copies of Metroid Prime 4 reportedly already circulating, the final stretch before launch has become even more important. Metroid Prime 4: Beyond carries years of anticipation and debate, and the next few days will determine how much reaches players before release.