Metroid Ravenous Developer Signals MercurySteam Return

Metroid Ravenous developer signals MercurySteam return

Metroid Ravenous appears to be the next project from MercurySteam, the Madrid-based studio that developed Metroid Dread. Nintendo has not formally named the team in its announcement, but MercurySteam has offered several strong hints.

The studio reshared the game’s announcement trailer on LinkedIn alongside a smiling emoji. MercurySteam’s official X account also reposted the trailer with ninja and heart emojis, making the connection difficult to dismiss. The LinkedIn post is available through MercurySteam’s post.

Metroid Ravenous was revealed during a Wednesday Nintendo Direct, roughly one month after Brazil’s game-rating board accidentally disclosed the project. The announcement makes it the follow-up to the latest arcade and gaming news worth watching for fans of classic action games.

What the Metroid Ravenous trailer shows

The trailer returns intergalactic bounty hunter Samus Aran to a dangerous alien world. This time, however, the hunter appears to have the advantage: hostile creatures become her prey.

Samus is now a human-Metroid hybrid, allowing her to absorb energy from the creatures she encounters. That ability explains the game’s unusually severe title and suggests a very different power balance from Metroid Dread, where Samus spent much of the adventure being pursued by seemingly unstoppable robots.

Nintendo Switch 2 owners will be able to play Metroid Ravenous from 28 January 2027. No further gameplay details, pricing information or release information for other platforms was provided in the supplied announcement.

MercurySteam’s history with Metroid

MercurySteam was founded in 2002 and is based in Madrid. Its previous work for the series includes Metroid: Samus Returns, a remake of the often-overlooked second game in the franchise, followed by Metroid Dread.

The studio has also developed Castlevania: Lords of Shadow and its sequel. Its most recent release was Blades of Fire, an action-adventure title that received mixed reviews and did not meet its publisher’s sales expectations.

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Questions surrounding the developer

MercurySteam has faced criticism since the release of Metroid Dread. Reports said that many developers were omitted from the game’s credits; the studio later defended its handling of the credits in a response covered by Game Developer.

In September 2025, Spanish labour union CSVI-CGT accused the company of abusive workplace practices. The allegations included mandatory overtime involving 10-hour days, limits on internal communication, the removal of remote work, and restrictions on holiday days.

Several workers interviewed by 3DJuegos described a toxic environment during the development of Blades of Fire. Their accounts included claims of intimidation by management and retaliation against staff who took sick or parental leave.

MercurySteam’s apparent involvement in Metroid Ravenous therefore answers one major question about the new game, while leaving Nintendo yet to make the developer’s role explicit. Those planning a dedicated gaming setup can also consult the arcade machine buying guide for practical advice on choosing suitable hardware.