Is Metroid Prime 4: Beyond FINALLY Approaching Launch? Korean Rating Board Seems to Think So!

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Is Metroid Prime 4: Beyond FINALLY Approaching Launch? Korean Rating Board Seems to Think So!

Metroid Prime 4: Beyond has been rated in South Korea, suggesting development is nearing completion and fueling hope for a release date announcement sometime soon, but as always, temper your expectations. The rating provides a few morsels of new info, including a new planet called Buros!

Alright, Metroid fans, let's gather 'round the ol' rumour bonfire. It seems our beloved bounty hunter might be gearing up for another adventure sooner rather than later. Eurogamer reckons (and I tend to agree) that things are looking up for *Metroid Prime 4: Beyond*, that spacefaring saga we've been waiting on since... well, let's not dwell on the wait, shall we?

The game just popped up on the Korean Game Content Rating Board, sporting a shiny "ages 12 and up" rating. Why's this a big deal? Because games usually don't get rated unless they're, you know, *finished* or at least close enough that the developers can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Makes sense, right?

According to the rating blurb (as translated, mind you, so a pinch of salt is recommended), *Metroid Prime 4: Beyond* sees Samus Aran crash-landing on a planet called Buros after a bit of a kerfuffle involving a Silux and a Galactic Federation research facility. Sounds like classic Metroid shenanigans to me! The rating board slapped the game with a 12+ rating due to "mild violence," which, let's be honest, is pretty much what we'd expect from a game involving Samus blasting alien critters with her arm cannon.

Now, I know what you're thinking: "A rating doesn't guarantee a release date!" And you'd be absolutely right, mate. We've been burned before. Remember that accidental "out now" advert that showed up on the London Underground? That was a bit of a heart-stopper (and a swift kick to the feels). However, the fact that the game is complete enough to be submitted for classification is a good sign.

For those who need a refresher, we got our first glimpse of gameplay back in June of last year, and a deeper dive during a March Nintendo Direct. There was even some talk about fancy Switch 2 controls, with one Eurogamer writer even suggesting you could play the game with Joy-Cons balanced on your thighs. (I'm picturing a world of accidental misfires, but hey, who am I to judge?).

So, while we're still a good few parsecs away from an official release date (and Nintendo is still playing it coy), this Korean rating is at least a flicker of hope. Maybe, just maybe, we'll be venturing into the unknown with Samus sooner than we think. Keep your eyes peeled, folks, and your Power Suits charged!

Tags: Metroid Prime 4, Nintendo, Release Date, Samus Aran, Korean Rating Board

Original article: Eurogamer