Introduction
Metroid Ravenous has been officially announced for Nintendo Switch 2, with a confirmed release date of January 28, 2027.
The title continues the 2D branch of the Metroid franchise and was revealed during a recent Nintendo Direct presentation.
Nintendo also announced a special edition that includes a steelbook case and a Metroid Samus amiibo; the standard edition is already available to pre-order on Amazon.
Developer attribution and MercurySteam's response
Nintendo has increasingly omitted explicit studio credits from some recent announcements, a practice that has drawn attention from industry observers.
In journalistic terms: "Industry observers have noted that Nintendo has been less forthcoming about naming specific external studios behind new projects in recent announcements."
While Nintendo has not issued a formal developer credit for Metroid Ravenous, MercurySteam — the Spanish studio that developed Metroid: Samus Returns (2017) and Metroid Dread (2021) — replied to Nintendo's trailer on Twitter by quote-tweeting with a ninja emoji and a heart.
That response is on record and stopped short of an explicit confirmation from either Nintendo or MercurySteam.
Context and developer track record
MercurySteam is a well-known partner to Nintendo on modern 2D Metroid titles: it led development of the 3DS remake Metroid: Samus Returns and the full original 2D entry Metroid Dread for Nintendo Switch.
Both titles are part of the studio's verified portfolio and are frequently cited when tracking the lineage of the franchise.
Release, editions, and availability
Nintendo listed the release date for Metroid Ravenous as January 28, 2027, for Nintendo Switch 2.
The publisher announced a special edition bundling a steelbook and a Metroid Samus amiibo alongside the standard edition.
Retailers including Amazon are accepting pre-orders for the standard version as of the announcement window.
What this means for fans and the market
Metroid Ravenous arrives as a continuation of Nintendo's 2D Metroid efforts on a next-generation Nintendo platform.
Given MercurySteam's prior work on the two most recent 2D Metroid titles, observers see the studio's social-media reply as notable, though neither party has issued a formal co-development credit.
Fans tracking hardware adoption and first-party releases will watch how the Nintendo Switch 2 launch window and Metroid Ravenous' January 2027 release align.
Byline
Written by Peter Glagowski, freelance gaming and film critic with extensive coverage of Nintendo and the Metroid series.
Metroid Ravenous has been officially announced for Nintendo Switch 2, with a confirmed release date of January 28, 2027.
The title continues the 2D branch of the Metroid franchise and was revealed during a recent Nintendo Direct presentation.
Nintendo also announced a special edition that includes a steelbook case and a Metroid Samus amiibo; the standard edition is already available to pre-order on Amazon.
Developer attribution and MercurySteam's response
Nintendo has increasingly omitted explicit studio credits from some recent announcements, a practice that has drawn attention from industry observers.
In journalistic terms: "Industry observers have noted that Nintendo has been less forthcoming about naming specific external studios behind new projects in recent announcements."
While Nintendo has not issued a formal developer credit for Metroid Ravenous, MercurySteam — the Spanish studio that developed Metroid: Samus Returns (2017) and Metroid Dread (2021) — replied to Nintendo's trailer on Twitter by quote-tweeting with a ninja emoji and a heart.
That response is on record and stopped short of an explicit confirmation from either Nintendo or MercurySteam.
Context and developer track record
MercurySteam is a well-known partner to Nintendo on modern 2D Metroid titles: it led development of the 3DS remake Metroid: Samus Returns and the full original 2D entry Metroid Dread for Nintendo Switch.
Both titles are part of the studio's verified portfolio and are frequently cited when tracking the lineage of the franchise.
Release, editions, and availability
Nintendo listed the release date for Metroid Ravenous as January 28, 2027, for Nintendo Switch 2.
The publisher announced a special edition bundling a steelbook and a Metroid Samus amiibo alongside the standard edition.
Retailers including Amazon are accepting pre-orders for the standard version as of the announcement window.
What this means for fans and the market
Metroid Ravenous arrives as a continuation of Nintendo's 2D Metroid efforts on a next-generation Nintendo platform.
Given MercurySteam's prior work on the two most recent 2D Metroid titles, observers see the studio's social-media reply as notable, though neither party has issued a formal co-development credit.
Fans tracking hardware adoption and first-party releases will watch how the Nintendo Switch 2 launch window and Metroid Ravenous' January 2027 release align.
Byline
Written by Peter Glagowski, freelance gaming and film critic with extensive coverage of Nintendo and the Metroid series.
