An advert for Metroid Prime 4: Beyond has reportedly been photographed on the London Underground, stating the game is “out now”.
Officially, the game is only due for release at some point this year, so the discovery of this advert has sparked hope a release is imminent.
The images, reportedly taken at Oxford Circus, have not been verified. Eurogamer has contacted Nintendo for confirmation of Metroid Prime 4’s release date.
Still, the reddit post does include multiple images from different angles, so it certainly appears real. So what’s going on?
At the very least, Metroid Prime 4 is certainly not “out now”. It’s not available to purchase on the eShop, and it seems unlikely Nintendo would shadow drop it.
Instead, this is likely a mistake: either the advertising company has mistakenly put the advert up too early, or a “coming soon” sign of some sort is meant to cover the “out now” part for removal later. Either way, we’re awaiting official clarification from Nintendo.
As the advert is specifically for the Switch 2 Edition, it includes: support for mouse controls, up to 4K resolution in docked TV mode, frame rates up to 120fps, and HDR support.
The game is also set for release on the original Switch, presumably at the same time.
After years of waiting, the hugely anticipated sci-fi adventure received a first gameplay trailer in June last year. A deeper look at the game was provided during the March Nintendo Direct, where Samus’ psychic powers were revealed.
I was able to play Metroid Prime 4 at the Nintendo Switch 2 preview event in London and tested out its variety of control options. Mouse controls certainly work well enough, but I’m not convinced it’ll be the most comfortable way to play on your sofa.