Kiwi Talkz noted on social media:
"Prime 1 cost about $10 million, Prime 4 cost about $100 million. The game needs to sell 4.5–5 million copies to break even."
When asked about the source of the figure, he replied: "I was told." Although Nintendo has not officially confirmed the data, the information has caused a resonance among fans.
Nintendo traditionally strictly controls development costs, so the amount looks impressive. It can be partially explained by the complex history of Metroid Prime 4: announced in 2017 along with Bayonetta 3, the game has experienced numerous delays and a complete reboot. Initially, the project was led by Bandai Namco Studios, but in 2019 it returned to Retro Studios under the leadership of producer Kensuke Tanabe.
From a commercial point of view, Nintendo's risks may be less than the break-even point suggests. Metroid Dread sold more than 3 million copies, becoming the best-selling game in the series, and Metroid Prime Remastered sold over 1.3 million. With the release on Nintendo Switch and Switch 2, reaching the 4.5–5 million copies mark looks realistic.
Metroid Prime 4: Beyond is scheduled for release on December 4, 2025.