According to a recent update from Eurogamer, multiple sources have confirmed Namco Bandai as the developer of Metroid Prime 4[prebreak]1[/prebreak]; one of Nintendo's most anticipated release since its announcement at E3 last year.

Internet rumours this week pegged Bandai Namco as being the mystery studio behind Metroid Prime 4 - something multiple sources have now confirmed to Eurogamer as being accurate.
Specifically, the highly-anticipated Nintendo Switch exclusive is being developed by Bandai Namco Studios Singapore, which we understand is lead studio on the game in collaboration with Nintendo.

It should be noted while Eurogamer's sources have not been named, the Lead Designer from Bandai Namco Singapore himself confirmed they are working on "an unannounced IP (First Person Shooter/Adventure Exclusive to the Nintendo Switch)".

Source

Spoiler: Original Post

So we all saw the reveal trailer for Metroid Prime 4 at Nintendo's E3 Direct last year, but apart from that 30 second teaser, nothing else is currently known about the title. We do know one thing, however, that Retro Studios, the developer of the previous Prime titles won't be working on Metroid Prime 4.

​

This morning a post went up on resetera that shows a Lead Designer from Bandai Namco Singpapore has been working on an unannounced IP (First Person Shooter/Adventure Exclusive to the Nintendo Switch):

​

Namco Bandai isn't particularly known for making first-person shooters, and what other first-person adventure games are you aware of other than Metroid Prime? It will be interesting to finally find out if they are the studio behind the hotly anticipated Metroid Prime 4.

From the same job listing there is also information that the next Ridge Racer is a Switch exclusive. No further details about that are currently known.

Source

 

[Deleted member 331788]

They should have got SEGA to develop the game.
Namco and Nintendo, what's next ....EA and Nintendo!!!

 

[Idaho]

Also who here said that Namco has a good experience with shooters? Like did they ever created any relevant FPS game? Am I missing something, because I'm a huge FPS genre fan and I have never played any FPS made by namco...

 

[MikaDubbz]

Also who here said that Namco has a good experience with shooters? Like did they ever created any relevant FPS game? Am I missing something, because I'm a huge FPS genre fan and I have never played any FPS made by namco...

Well Time Crisis (though they're on rails, they're still first person shooters)

 

[Idaho]

Well Time Crisis (though they're on rails, they're still first person shooters)

Haha yeah well that's not very re-ensuring but yeah Time-Crisis is kinda enjoyable, just not what I really imagine being a good FPS game...

 

[CathyRina]

They should have got SEGA to develop the game.

Yeah, but only if you want the game to stay Japan exclusive.

 

[MikaDubbz]

Haha yeah well that's not very re-ensuring but yeah Time-Crisis is kinda enjoyable, just not what I really imagine being a good FPS game...

Again, the Prime formula isn't broke, I really doubt Namco is going to try and reinvent the wheel here. I say let some footage actually show up before choosing to be concerned or not.

 

[The Real Jdbye]

Yes but the yellow stick wasn't used to move the camera, also it was on weird place on the gamepad to be used for that purpose anyway, but they've got no excuses to do that on the switch, it could perfectly work with two sticks...

I must admit I've never played the originals on GC, so I didn't know about that.
That seems like a really weird feature to omit. How did aiming work then?
Also, what's weird about the location of the second stick? It's in the normal place that almost every controller puts it in, including the Switch.

 

[Idaho]

Again, the Prime formula isn't broke, I really doubt Namco is going to try and reinvent the wheel here. I say let some footage actually show up before choosing to be concerned or not.

Well the Halo formula wasn't broke but 343i still broke it with H5, let's see how it turns out, only thing I want is a good use of the two sticks, one for movement, the other for the camera, GoldenEye styled FPS games that only work with one stick are long dead and it's not a good idea to resurrect them...

I must admit I've never played the originals on GC, so I didn't know about that.
That seems like a really weird feature to omit. How did aiming work then?
Also, what's weird about the location of the second stick? It's in the normal place that almost every controller puts it in, including the Switch.

Well it's a bit lower than usual, also the stick is smaller, so I think it'd hurt fingers to use it for that purpose, but I'm just speculating here... There was button for auto-aim and another button to aim manually by moving the camera but you weren't allowed to move the character while doing this, so yeah pretty slowish, it worked kinda like GoldenEye and Perfect Dark...

 

[MikaDubbz]

Well the Halo formula wasn't broke but 343i still broke it with H5, let's see how it turns out, only thing I want is a good use of the two sticks, one for movement, the other for the camera, GoldenEye styled FPS games that only work with one stick are long dead and it's not a good idea to resurrect them...

I guess, but 343 was an unproven studio. Namco has years and years behind them with plenty of great games under their belt spanning many different genres and a strong relationship with Nintendo. I'm just not seeing any good reason to be concerned here at this time. And again, I really doubt we wont be able to control the camera with the right stick this time.

 

[The Real Jdbye]

Also who here said that Namco has a good experience with shooters? Like did they ever created any relevant FPS game? Am I missing something, because I'm a huge FPS genre fan and I have never played any FPS made by namco...

Not exactly FPS games, but rail shooters are pretty much what they are known for. And not just Time Crisis, they made some other, more unique rail shooters as well. I'm sure they made some FPS games at some point though.
I know it's not the same thing, but a lot of the same core mechanics apply. So I do think that would help them create a good FPS game.

 

[Xabring]

They wouldn't. While Nintendo will happily continue to optionally let us use gyro to help aim or aim instead of using the right stick. But it will always be optional, because they want to also cater to the core crowd that has been entirely against motion since its inception. I think they've learned how alienating it can be to force motion controls for games that easily can be played without motion controls entirely if they just programmed for it.

welp, I forgot that. At last I can expect the classic 2 sticks combo in MP then. But I prefer the motion, such aim, munch accuracy

 

[Spectral Blizzard]

One hell of a shitstorm's gonna come.

 

[pedro702]

bs they turned other M into a bad ninja gaiden clone

i don't. but i'll wait for a preview video at least but if i see one thing just ONE thing i don't like in it than i'm not buying it

the gameplay was solid, everything from gameplay and mechanics was spot on for a thrid person metroid, people didnt liked metroid otherm becuase of the story and that wasnt there fault at all.

i dont see how a third person metroid could have better gameplay imo, people are comparing it to prime that is an fps vs a 3rd person shooter, two diferent beats.

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------

I hated Pokken and not bothered about smash

so what while you didnt like them alot of people did, i dont like splatoon but im not gonna say its a bad game...

 

[NatsumiX]

It's going to be fine.
The 3DS game turned out well too even though people thought it's going to suck because of the team.

 

[TotalInsanity4]

Namco and Nintendo, what's next ....EA and Nintendo!!!

What's your problem with Bamco?...

 

[Jonna]

(though if they could get rid of the scanning part of the gameplay entirely, I wouldn't be opposed to that).

NOOOOOO

Actually I can understand why people didn't like the scanning part of the game. Best of both worlds would be to make it optional - as in completely optional. The lore of Metroid contained within those scannings are amazing, but can interrupt gameplay awkwardly. Getting 100% is optional, but activating elevators and other objects, and forcing you to use it for other things could be annoying, I'll admit. If they have it in the game, without forcing you to use it, we could be a happy group of gamers.

 

[geodeath]

What's your problem with Bamco?...

Personally, no problem at all. My problem lies with Nintendo these days, 99% of their decisions make no sense whatsoever. They keep their in-house studio busy developing Arms, 1-2-Switch and Splatoon, yet give Metroid to a 3rd party?

What's next? Mario by Sega? The next Final Fantasy by Konami?

Some games are supposed to be... 1st party developed for obvious (i think) reasons. This isn't to say that there have not been successful 3rd developed games for 1st party IPs, but why take a chance? Do the opposite, keep 4 in-house and leave the 1-3 remastered, which is of course coming on the Switch at some point to Bamco or someone else?

 

[Xzi]

Personally, no problem at all. My problem lies with Nintendo these days, 99% of their decisions make no sense whatsoever. They keep their in-house studio busy developing Arms, 1-2-Switch and Splatoon, yet give Metroid to a 3rd party?

What's next? Mario by Sega? The next Final Fantasy by Konami?

Some games are supposed to be... 1st party developed for obvious (i think) reasons. This isn't to say that there have not been successful 3rd developed games for 1st party IPs, but why take a chance? Do the opposite, keep 4 in-house and leave the 1-3 remastered, which is of course coming on the Switch at some point to Bamco or someone else?

Metroid Prime is the only IP that already has a history of being assigned to a different studio. If they were gonna give other Nintendo IPs to third-parties, they would've started doing so on the GCN. Seems extremely unlikely to happen at this point.

 

[supergamer368]

again, who cares 2d metroid when

 

[geodeath]

Metroid Prime is the only IP that already has a history of being assigned to a different studio. If they were gonna give other Nintendo IPs to third-parties, they would've started doing so on the GCN. Seems extremely unlikely to happen at this point.

Sure, but Retro was completely different as a studio though. And today Nintendo is not like it has a shortage of cash or something to attract talent or whatnot..