Nintendo used its latest Direct to reveal Metroid Ravenous, the next 2D entry in the long-running series. It launches exclusively on Switch 2 on January 28, 2027, and its debut trailer makes one thing clear: this Samus talks, and she is not in a good mood.
What the trailer showed
The reveal narrates Samus Aran's predicament in her own voice. "I was attacked by unknown assailants and sustained grave injuries," she explains, according to VGC's transcription. "I don't know where I am. Getting back to the surface won't be easy. My chances of getting off this moon are slim at best. I will survive, and I will make it home, even if I have to feed on my enemies to do so. It's eat or be eaten."
That last line is the game's tagline, and the trailer leans into it. Enemies swarm Samus and appear to drain her energy, and she seems to survive by feeding on them in turn. The footage keeps her face mostly hidden, offering only glimpses of her eyes, sometimes glowing with what Kotaku described as a "malevolent rage." It is a sharp departure from the traditionally silent, stoic bounty hunter fans know.
Kotaku framed the tonal shift as Nintendo finally handing Samus a personality, contrasting Ravenous with the more exploratory Metroid Prime 4. Where Prime reaches outward toward discovery, Ravenous reads as personal and vengeful, a survival story about not becoming prey.
Who's making it, and where it fits
Nintendo did not explicitly name the developer, but both VGC and Eurogamer expect the game to come from MercurySteam, the studio behind 2021's Metroid Dread. Ravenous looks set to pick up where Dread left off. That earlier game was a Nintendo Switch exclusive set after the events of Metroid Fusion, making it the most recent chapter in the series' chronology.
The pedigree matters. Eurogamer noted that Metroid Dread earned a 5/5 from the outlet and moved 2.9 million copies worldwide in its first six months, out-pacing the previous best-seller Metroid Prime. VGC's own review awarded Dread five stars, calling it "the comeback fans have been waiting for." With that success behind it, both developer and publisher have had time and resources to build on the formula.
Ravenous also isn't a total surprise to those watching closely. The project first surfaced through a ratings board listing in Brazil earlier this year before Nintendo made it official.
Amiibo and the special edition
Nintendo confirmed new collectibles alongside the launch. Two Metroid amiibo, one of Samus and one of a Chozo Statue, arrive on January 28. A third amiibo, showing Samus in a Metroid Suit, comes bundled in a Special Edition that also includes a SteelBook and a copy of the game. As VGC pointed out, it isn't yet clear whether that third figure will be sold separately or only through the Special Edition.
What it means for your 2027 calendar
Ravenous slots Metroid firmly into the early Switch 2 lineup, giving 2D fans a concrete date to circle. If you're tracking the console's first year, it now sits alongside Metroid Prime 4 as a second major series entry, one aimed at side-scroller devotees rather than first-person explorers. Given Dread's critical and commercial track record, Metroid Ravenous is one of the safer bets among Switch 2's upcoming releases, and Nintendo says more is coming soon.
