Nintendo's latest Direct showcase drew most attention for its Switch 2 remake of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, but according to Polygon, the more significant announcement was Metroid Ravenous, a new 2D entry in the Metroid series. The game's debut trailer, showing Samus Aran able to eat enemies, is seen as evidence that Nintendo's long-running strategy of using remakes to develop external studios is continuing to pay off, with Ravenous positioned as a potential highlight of the Switch 2's 2027 line-up.

The piece traces this approach back to 2017, when Nintendo handed Spanish studio MercurySteam the remake Metroid: Samus Returns, despite the developer having no prior ties to Nintendo. That project's critical success led to MercurySteam being trusted with an original game, Metroid Dread, and it is reportedly behind Metroid Ravenous too, though Nintendo has not formally confirmed this. A similar pattern is noted with developer Grezzo, which moved from remaking The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening to creating the original title Echoes of Wisdom. Metroid Ravenous is due for release on 28 January (year not specified in the article, implied 2027), with its predecessor Metroid Dread having received a Game of the Year nomination.