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

Amazon Cancels Metroid Prime 4: Beyond Pre-Orders – What Does This Mean for the 2025 Release?

Reports surfaced on January 11, 2025, across various online platforms, including Reddit and Resetera, indicating that Amazon is canceling pre-orders for the highly anticipated Metroid Prime 4: Beyond. Affected customers are receiving emails from Amazon citing "lack of availability" as the reason for the cancellation. Amazon assures customers that pre-order reservation charges will be fully refunded within one to two business days.

While disappointing for fans who pre-ordered since the game's initial announcement at E3 2017, the cancellation doesn't signal the game's demise. It simply means the title is temporarily unavailable for pre-order through Amazon. For further details on the game itself, check out our dedicated Metroid Prime 4 article.

A Look Back at Metroid Prime 4's Development

The journey of Metroid Prime 4 has been a long one. Initially announced at E3 2017, the project initially excluded Retro Studios, the developers behind previous entries in the series. The developer remained undisclosed for some time.

Two years later, in January 2019, Nintendo revealed that development had been restarted under Retro Studios. Nintendo explained that the progress at that point didn't meet their standards for a Metroid Prime sequel.

A full gameplay trailer finally debuted in June 2024 during a Nintendo Direct, confirming the game's official title, Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, and a 2025 release window. The trailer showcased the antagonist, Sylux, leading Space Pirates.

Nintendo reiterated the 2025 release date in an early January 2025 news post. Despite Amazon's pre-order cancellation, this reassurance suggests the game remains on track for release this year.

The upcoming release of the Nintendo Switch 2 adds another layer of intrigue. Whether the game will launch on the original Switch or its successor remains to be seen.