A recent leak from Brazil's Ministry of Justice and Public Security has revealed a rating for a game titled "Metroid Ravenous," sparking speculation among fans about a new sequel in the beloved Metroid franchise. The game reportedly received a 12+ age rating, citing "violence (weapons, blood, death) and light sexual content" after a review of approximately 41 minutes of material. The production year is listed as 2026, with the United States as the country of origin for the rating submission.
This leak is considered credible by many due to the name "Metroid Ravenous," which sounds like a fitting title for a successor to the 2021 title Metroid Dread. Dread, developed by MercurySteam in collaboration with Nintendo, was the most recent 2D installment in the series and achieved over 3 million in sales. A five-year gap for a follow-up would align with typical development cycles for Nintendo titles. The rating details were shared by user Necrolipe on Twitter and subsequently discussed on the Famiboards gaming forum.
The timing of this potential announcement also aligns with Nintendo's recent statements regarding its future release plans. Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa mentioned in May that the company is preparing new titles for the Nintendo Switch 2, including surprises for the latter half of 2026. While specifics have not been disclosed, Furukawa indicated that these would be in addition to previously announced games, suggesting that "Metroid Ravenous" could be one of these unrevealed projects. This also comes after a period where Metroid Prime 4's development status has been a subject of concern for fans, making a new 2D Metroid game a welcome prospect.