Although Metroid Prime 4: Beyond received mostly positive reviews, they have nevertheless been a little more mixed than expected, and many fans have expressed disappointment on social media. We don't know if there is any connection to today's news, but the game's producer has now announced that he is leaving Nintendo.
We're talking about veteran Kensuke Tanabe, who started at Nintendo in 1986 and spent 40 years at the legendary Kyoto company. There, he worked on Super Mario Bros. 2 (or Yume Kôjô: Doki Doki Panic, as it was called in Japan) and The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, among other titles, but he has also been involved in the Donkey Kong Country and Metroid Prime series.
Metroid Prime 4: Beyond will be his last title at Nintendo, and considering that he will turn 63 in a few days, one might suspect that he simply feels that this is a good time to say goodbye. Here is what he himself had to say about the matter in an interview with Nintendo Dream magazine (via Weibo, translated with Bing AI):
"It's been forty years since I started working at Nintendo. Metroid Prime 4 will be my last game developed at Nintendo. But we haven't consciously tried to create something 'special'. Instead, we have collaborated wholeheartedly with Retro Studios, just as we have done with all Nintendo games, with the goal of delivering an engaging and unique experience for players of all ages and preferences. If it leaves a lasting impression on those who play it, I will be deeply grateful. And for those who have not yet experienced it, I urge you to experience the unknown planet Viewros through Samus' eyes."
Tanabe is now being replaced by his closest colleague, Risa Tabata, who has been involved in the development of previous instalments in the Metroid Prime series. We wish both her and Tanabe the best of luck, and extend our gratitude to the latter for all the wonderful entertainment.