Nintendo has a strange habit of not immediately disclosing development teams when announcing new games. Some titles don’t reveal which studio is behind them until after release or when media embargoes lift. Metroid Ravenous followed this pattern—the Nintendo Direct reveal gave no developer details, but the gameplay footage bore strong similarities to Metroid Dread, immediately pointing players to Spanish studio MercurySteam, which handled Metroid Dread.
Players: Is This Even a Question?
What really heated up the rumors was MercurySteam’s response to the official trailer—they quote-tweeted it with a “ninja + heart” emoji combination. The studio didn’t explicitly say “we’re the developers,” but players naturally interpreted this as confirmation that MercurySteam is indeed working on Metroid Ravenous. Some consider this a near-official confirmation. However, Nintendo still hasn’t officially announced the developer, so this remains a highly suspicious clue at best.
MercurySteam Caught Again?
If the rumors prove true, this could be exciting for series fans. MercurySteam previously collaborated with Nintendo on Metroid Dread, which brought classic 2D Metroid gameplay back into the mainstream. Given that Metroid Ravenous shows similar visual and gameplay styles, players naturally want the original team back. Interestingly, MercurySteam’s recent Blades of Fire underperformed, and the studio has faced layoffs. If they truly are handling Metroid again, it could be a major comeback opportunity.
Nintendo’s Still Playing Mystery, But Fans Have Already Solved the Case
The most interesting part right now: Nintendo hasn’t said anything, MercurySteam hasn’t officially confirmed, but players have already solved the case with just a ninja and heart emoji. Whether the studio was simply expressing love for Metroid Ravenous or secretly confirming they’re the developers behind it, we won’t know until Nintendo makes an official announcement. But if MercurySteam is ultimately confirmed, their secrecy was only about half done.