Metroid Prime 4, Announced Back in 2017, Has Pre-Orders Cancelled by Amazon

Amazon has begun canceling pre-orders for Metroid Prime 4: Beyond and is notifying customers via email. This development has sparked concerns about the game's future and its anticipated 2025 release. Let's delve into the details and what this might mean for eager fans.

Amazon Cancelling Metroid Prime 4: Beyond’s Pre-Orders

Reservation Charge will be Refunded

On January 11, 2025, reports surfaced on platforms like Reddit and Resetera that Amazon was canceling pre-orders for Metroid Prime 4. Screenshots shared by users revealed that Amazon cited "a lack of availability" as the reason for the cancellations. Despite the disappointment, Amazon promised to refund the reservation charge within 1-2 business days.

This news has understandably upset some fans, especially those who pre-ordered the game back when it was first announced at E3 2017. However, the cancellation of pre-orders does not indicate that the game has been canceled; it simply means it is no longer available for pre-order on Amazon.

For more detailed information about Metroid Prime 4, be sure to check out our comprehensive article on the game.

Metroid Prime 4’s Development History

Metroid Prime 4 was first unveiled at E3 2017, with Nintendo America's director of product marketing stating that the game would not be developed by Retro Studios, the team behind previous Metroid titles. At the time, the developer working on the game remained undisclosed.

Two years later, on January 25, 2019, Nintendo announced a restart of the game's development, this time under Retro Studios. In a YouTube video, senior managing executive officer Shinya Takahashi explained that "the current development progress has not reached the standards we seek in a sequel to the Metroid Prime series."

Fast forward to June 2024, Nintendo showcased a full gameplay trailer for Metroid Prime 4 at the end of its Nintendo Direct, confirming a 2025 release and revealing the game's full title, Metroid Prime 4: Beyond. The trailer introduced the antagonist, Sylux, leading a group of Space Pirates in an unnamed facility.

More recently, on January 3, 2025, Nintendo reaffirmed the 2025 release window for Metroid Prime 4: Beyond in a news post. Despite Amazon's pre-order cancellations causing concern among fans, this post reassures that the game is still on track for release this year.

With the upcoming announcement of the Switch 2, it remains to be seen whether Metroid Prime 4: Beyond will launch on the original Switch or its successor.