The developer of Metroid Dread is the Spanish studio MercurySteam, who developed Metroid Dread in collaboration with Nintendo EPD, with Nintendo serving as the publisher. This partnership brought the 2021 Nintendo Switch title to life, marking the first original side-scrolling Metroid game in 19 years.
Who developed Metroid Dread?
MercurySteam, a Spanish video game development studio, and Nintendo EPD (Entertainment Planning & Development) co-developed Metroid Dread. Nintendo published the game exclusively for the Nintendo Switch. The collaboration combined MercurySteam's technical expertise with Nintendo EPD's long-standing stewardship of the Metroid franchise, resulting in a game that honors the series' legacy while introducing modern gameplay elements.
The concept for Metroid Dread originated in the mid-2000s, when Metroid series producer Yoshio Sakamoto conceived the idea for the Nintendo DS. However, the project was halted due to technical limitations of the hardware at the time, the vision for the game's signature pursuit sequences and dense atmospheric world could not be realized on the dual-screen handheld. The project remained dormant for years, with Sakamoto carrying the concept forward. Impressed by the studio's work, Nintendo revived the dormant project, and MercurySteam began full development on Metroid Dread, which was internally codenamed "Project Cazadora." The game launched on October 8, 2021, the same day as the Nintendo Switch (OLED model), with Nintendo hoping the new console's enhancements would make the game feel more immersive.
Key people behind the game
Yoshio Sakamoto, the longtime Metroid producer, served as the producer for Metroid Dread, ensuring the game stayed true to the series' core identity. The directors were Jose Luis Márquez and Fumi Hayashi, both of whom brought distinct creative visions to the project. Márquez, a MercurySteam veteran, focused on the game's mechanical design and level architecture, while Hayashi, from Nintendo EPD, worked on the overall direction and integration with the broader Metroid canon. This dual-studio leadership structure allowed MercurySteam's technical strengths to complement Nintendo EPD's narrative and franchise oversight.
What is Metroid Dread?
The game retains the side-scrolling exploration and combat of previous Metroid titles, but introduces stealth elements centered around the E.M.M.I. robots, seven towering mechanical hunters that patrol specific zones. Players must avoid these near-unstoppable machines, using stealth and environmental tactics to survive until they acquire the weapons needed to destroy them. The game's structure follows the classic Metroid formula: explore, acquire new abilities, and use them to unlock previously inaccessible areas, all while uncovering the mystery of the planet and the E.M.M.I.'s purpose.
Award-winning success
Metroid Dread received critical acclaim upon release, with praise directed at its tight controls, atmospheric world design, and the tension created by the E.M.M.I. encounters. It became the fastest-selling Metroid game in Japan, the UK, and the US, selling over three million copies worldwide. The game also won the "Best Action/Adventure Game" award at The Game Awards 2021, cementing its status as a standout title in the Switch's library. For fans of the series, this success represented a long-awaited return to form for 2D Metroid, proving that the franchise's classic gameplay could thrive on modern hardware when placed in the right hands.
