Metroid Prime 4 finally got a release date of December 4 as part of the Nintendo Direct for September 2025, alongside a brand-new trailer that – well, I'd like to say it has fans more hyped than ever, but the reality is that today's reveals have been building as much skepticism as anticipation. At the heart of the concern is whether Metroid Prime 4 is taking the series to an open world.
The new trailer centered on a motorcycle that Samus rides through a big, open-ended desert environment, fighting a few foes along the way. In the distant background are major points of interest, some of which we've seen in previous videos, and some of which are new here. The landscape includes a few other points of interest, which you'll presumably be able to stop at and explore.
It sounds like an open world, and it looks like an open world, but is that really the direction Metroid Prime 4 is taking the series? We see Samus hop off the bike at one point when entering what looks like a more traditional Metroid exploration area, which suggests that maybe the big desert is simply a hub connecting the real locations together. But it's impossible to be 100% certain based on what's shown here.
Whatever role the bike plays in-game, the first impressions were not great. That desert hub is very big, but also very empty, and reminiscent of some of the blandest, most boring open-world missteps we've seen games make in the past. You can count me among the Metroid fans skeptical of this big reveal.
"I don't really know what to think of this, I'm kind of stunned. Like this was not what I was expecting at all and not in a good way," as crawfish says on Reddit.
"Please dont let the selling point be 'it’s open world' holy fuck," Cheap_Trick148 says on the same Reddit thread.
There are some more optimistic takes there, like this from Guglio08: "I suppose I will be the lone person here who thinks this is a bold vision and am excited af. The graphics for the bike section could be better, but frankly this is a Switch 1 game that's been ported upwards."
the way that Metroid Prime 4 went from being my most anticipated game to Metroid Prime who? upon seeing that trailer open world games are like my least favorite genre of games, I bounce off of them so hard
— @metroidcrime.com (@metroidcrime.com.bsky.social) 2025-09-12T17:17:47.665Z
anyway if i waited that long for metroid prime 4 and like a month before it releases they suddenly reveal its an open world game and not a game with, like, level design, i would be fucking pissed
— @beareatsalmon.bsky.social (@beareatsalmon.bsky.social.bsky.social) 2025-09-12T17:17:47.700Z
One of the major things I liked about Metroid was the feeling of Samus being lonely and isolated. I'm worried that the open world stuff in Prime 4 will ruin that. I haven't completely written off the game. If the motorcyle is just for short segments between areas, then it might be OK.
— @mecha-bunny.bsky.social (@mecha-bunny.bsky.social.bsky.social) 2025-09-12T17:18:22.044Z
Yet between all the takes I've seen, good and bad, I think it's safe to say there are some big questions about what the bike is going to add to Metroid Prime 4. Is it going to take away from the feeling of isolation and discovery the series is known for? Or will it turn out to be a rad new addition that gives the game a refreshing set of pacing changes?
Perhaps the best summary of the situation comes from this YouTube comment from davidchidester5463: "Samus bike will either be incredible or the worst decision they've ever made. No in between."
Metroid Prime 4 is one of the biggest upcoming Switch 2 games.
