The Switch 2 is getting a 2D Metroid called Ravenous

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Nintendo has confirmed a new instalment in its long-running Metroid franchise, revealing a fresh two-dimensional adventure called Metroid Ravenous during a recent Nintendo Direct presentation. The game is set to arrive exclusively on the Switch 2 on 28 January 2027, positioning it as the console's next major first-party release in the series following last year's Metroid Prime 4: Beyond.

Ravenous appears to build directly on the foundations laid by 2021's acclaimed Metroid Dread, retaining a side-scrolling structure while adopting more elaborate three-dimensional visuals, dramatic cinematic camera work and combat that includes parrying and Samus's signature Morph Ball manoeuvre. The most notable addition teased in the reveal trailer is a new mechanic allowing Samus to draw energy or abilities directly from defeated foes, a twist several commentators noted mirrors the predatory behaviour traditionally associated with the Metroid creatures themselves. Nintendo's own promotional tagline, "it's eat or be eaten," underlines this darker, more aggressive tone, with the trailer depicting Samus narrating an ambush by a mysterious, cloaked group of enemies wielding blades and spinning bladed headgear, alongside other formidable, oversized creatures.

Coverage of the announcement diverges somewhat in emphasis. Some outlets focused on the game's visual and mechanical continuity with Dread, cataloguing the on-screen enemies and gameplay flourishes shown in the footage. Others dwelt on the narrative framing, reading the trailer's opening as establishing Samus stripped of some of her powers after being thrown underground and needing to fight her way back to the surface, and suggesting the game may lean further into horror-tinged atmosphere reminiscent of Dread's relentless E.M.M.I. robot pursuers, though whether a similar stalker enemy returns remains unconfirmed. One report also highlighted that the title had previously surfaced via a ratings-board leak in Brazil ahead of the official reveal, and noted a special edition will reportedly include two new amiibo figures.

There was also some difference in how outlets situated Ravenous within the series' recent commercial and critical trajectory. One account pointed to Metroid Dread's status as the franchise's best-selling entry, reportedly moving around 2.9 million copies in its first six months and eclipsing the previous benchmark set by Metroid Prime, and suggested this success gave developer MercurySteam and Nintendo greater resources for the follow-up. Another drew a contrast with Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, describing that game as a more divisive entry whose story elements landed unevenly with players despite the long gap since the previous Prime instalment, framing Ravenous as a chance to recapture the sharper reception Dread enjoyed. Across the coverage, expectations for the new game appear cautiously optimistic, tempered by an acknowledgement that concrete gameplay details remain limited ahead of its January 2027 launch.

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