Nintendo has officially revealed Metroid Ravenous, a new side-scrolling entry in the Metroid series launching January 28, 2027 for Nintendo Switch 2. The game was announced during Nintendo’s September 9 Switch 2-focused Nintendo Direct, confirming a project whose name first surfaced through a Brazilian ratings listing earlier this year. The reveal marks Samus Aran’s return to the 2D style most recently used for Metroid Dread.
The announcement trailer places Samus on a hostile moon after an unexpected attack leaves her injured and stranded. From there, she must explore the environment, fight unfamiliar creatures and uncover what caused the incident. Nintendo’s footage retains the side-on perspective associated with the modern 2D Metroid games while presenting environments, combat encounters and cinematic sequences built for Switch 2.
Metroid Ravenous had effectively leaked months before Nintendo was ready to announce it. In July, a listing bearing the title appeared through Brazil’s Ministry of Justice and Public Security classification system before being removed. The filing identified Nintendo of America and referenced a 2026 production year, but provided little information about what the project actually was, leaving its genre and relationship to previous games unconfirmed at the time.
The new trailer now establishes that Ravenous is another side-scrolling Metroid adventure rather than a continuation of the first-person Metroid Prime series. That places it much closer structurally to Metroid Dread, which launched for Nintendo Switch in October 2021. Nintendo has not yet provided a detailed breakdown of Ravenous’ progression systems, abilities or world structure, so it remains unclear how extensively the new game changes the formula established by Dread.
One notable change visible in the reveal is a greater emphasis on cinematic presentation around Samus herself. The trailer shows the bounty hunter in a vulnerable state after the opening incident, framing survival and the mystery of the moon as central parts of the setup. Nintendo has not yet disclosed the name of the location, the identity of the forces responsible for the attack or exactly where Ravenous fits in the wider Metroid timeline.
The developer has also not been formally identified in Nintendo’s initial announcement. MercurySteam is an obvious point of speculation because the Spanish studio co-developed Metroid Dread with Nintendo and previously worked on Metroid: Samus Returns for Nintendo 3DS, but Nintendo has not confirmed that MercurySteam is developing Ravenous. Until official credits or additional production information are published, that connection should remain unconfirmed.
Metroid Dread was particularly important for Nintendo’s long-running franchise because it revived the mainline 2D saga after a lengthy gap. It continued Samus’ story after Metroid Fusion and combined traditional exploration with fast movement, free aiming and encounters with the E.M.M.I. machines. Ravenous arrives more than five years later, giving Nintendo an opportunity to build on that foundation specifically around the more powerful Switch 2 hardware.
The announcement also follows the release of Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, meaning Nintendo is supporting both major branches of the franchise within a relatively short period. Prime focuses on first-person exploration, while Ravenous returns to the side-scrolling structure that stretches back to the original Metroid. The two games therefore target different styles of play despite sharing the same protagonist and universe.
Nintendo has so far confirmed only the January 28 release date and Nintendo Switch 2 platform for Metroid Ravenous. No original Switch version has been announced, making the game a dedicated Switch 2 release based on the information currently available. Pricing, special editions and additional gameplay details have not yet been disclosed.
With the Brazilian rating leak now validated by an official reveal, Metroid Ravenous has gone from an unexplained database entry to one of Nintendo’s major early-2027 releases. More details are likely to emerge before launch, but the first trailer already confirms the essentials: Samus is returning to side-scrolling exploration, the game is being built for Switch 2, and the wait will end on January 28, 2027.
