Nintendo officially revealed Metroid Ravenous during a Nintendo Direct on September 9, 2026, confirming a January 28, 2027 launch exclusively on Nintendo Switch 2. The game is not coming to the original Switch family. Alongside the standard release, Nintendo also detailed a $119.99 Special Edition and two amiibo figures tied to the game.
What Metroid Ravenous Is
Ravenous is a new 2D entry in the mainline Metroid series, developed by MercurySteam — the Spanish studio behind Metroid Dread and the Metroid: Samus Returns remake. It's the sixth mainline 2D Metroid game and the first since Dread launched in October 2021.
The reveal trailer, roughly two minutes long, showed Samus Aran already wounded when the story opens: unknown attackers drain her energy and send her crashing onto an unfamiliar moon. Her Metroid DNA — acquired from the vaccine that saved her from the X Parasite in Metroid Fusion — appears central to both the plot and a new gameplay mechanic built around absorbing power from defeated enemies. Nintendo's marketing line for the game is built around Samus's determination to escape "even if I have to feed on my enemies to do so."
Notably, Samus speaks in the trailer, something the series hasn't done since Metroid: Other M on Wii. Beyond that framing, Nintendo hasn't detailed specific new abilities, suit upgrades, or how long the campaign runs.
Price and Editions
The standard edition costs $59.99 digitally and $69.99 physically. Both the standard and Special Edition launch the same day, January 28, 2027, and pre-orders opened immediately after the announcement.
The Special Edition is priced at $119.99 and includes:
- A copy of the game
- A SteelBook case
- An exclusive Samus (Metroid Suit) amiibo, not sold separately
Nintendo also confirmed two additional amiibo figures — a standalone Samus figure and a Chozo Statue figure — that will be sold separately from the Special Edition rather than bundled with it. Nintendo hasn't detailed what, if anything, the amiibo unlock in-game.
What's Still Unconfirmed
Nintendo hasn't said whether Metroid Ravenous will support any form of upgrade path for existing Switch owners, the way some other Switch 2 titles have offered upgrade packs — the listing so far points to a Switch 2-only release with no separate original-Switch version. File size, a demo, and any post-launch content plans also haven't been announced.
Story details beyond the opening setup remain limited to what the reveal trailer showed. Nintendo has not confirmed returning characters, the full cast, or how the game connects to the ending of Metroid Dread. Gamingonix will update this piece as MercurySteam and Nintendo share more ahead of the January 28 launch.
Emma covers gaming news and industry announcements for Gamingonix, reporting on releases, reveals and the stories moving fast.
