Nintendo’s Surprise Direct Unveils Metroid Prime 4 and Zelda Spinoff, Confirms Switch Successor for 2025

In a move that has fans buzzing, Nintendo aired a surprise Nintendo Direct this morning, dropping a suite of bombshell announcements including the long-awaited Metroid Prime 4, an unexpected Zelda spinoff, and official confirmation of a new Switch successor launching in 2025.

The Direct opened with a cinematic teaser for *Metroid Prime 4: Beyond*, which showcased Samus Aran navigating a mysterious space ruin, hinting at a darker, more story-driven experience than its predecessors. Fans have been eagerly awaiting this title since its initial reveal in 2017, with development having been restarted under Retro Studios in 2019. Accompanied by a 2025 release window, the teaser also came with a note that the game will be “optimized for the next-generation Nintendo hardware,” all but confirming it as a launch title for the forthcoming console.

Equally surprising was the announcement of *The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Hyrule*, a spinoff that diverges from the main series with a new protagonist—Lokai, a mysterious Bard who can manipulate time through music. Nintendo showcased lively gameplay blending rhythm-based combat with puzzle-solving, drawing comparisons to *Cadence of Hyrule* and *Majora’s Mask*. Set to release in early 2025, the title appears to be a key bridge between *Tears of the Kingdom* and whatever comes next for the franchise.

Closing the show, Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa confirmed ongoing rumors about a new platform, stating, “We are excited to share that our next-generation console will arrive in 2025. Development is well underway, and we look forward to presenting it in greater detail later this year.”

The Switch, which launched in 2017 and has sold over 130 million units to date, is entering its twilight years after revitalizing Nintendo’s place in the console market. Yet today’s announcements show the company is focused firmly on the future, with fresh hardware and big IPs ready to chart a new era.

More details on the new system, as well as Metroid Prime 4 and Zelda: Echoes of Hyrule, are expected during Nintendo’s annual September Direct. Stay tuned.