Yoshio Sakamoto on Metroid Dread

Yesterday at GDC Yoshio Sakamoto talked about cinematic influences that inspired him in his work.  The panel was well-received, and those in attendance showed their approval when a new trailer for Metroid: Other M was showcased.  After his speech, the producer of the latest Metroid title had a few words with Joystiq.

Sakamoto was asked about the rumored Metroid Dread, which has caused much speculation amongst both fans and critics.  For those of you unfamiliar with Metroid Dread, the rumored project was to be a 2D Metroid game in the vein of classic Metroid side-scrollers.  The supposed game was to be released on the Nintendo DS, but nothing in terms of an actual announcement has ever been made.

During the interview, Sakamoto stated that Metroid Dread was never officially announced; therefore it is but a mere a rumor at this point in time.  He also mentioned that talks about a 2D Metroid on the DS have actually occurred, but the team is currently focusing entirely on Other M.

“While there actually was a point where some teams were meeting to discuss if it was possible to create a 2D Metroid for DS using a relatively small team size, it’s not something that we ever really announced or thought of as Metroid Dread,” said Sakamoto.  “But whenever people bring out that idea, we recognize that the basic concept is something that we can’t say never existed.”

So the concept is real, but the name Metroid Dread remains a rumor.  Additionally, Sakamoto told Joystiq what the goal of Other M was.  “Our main goal is to, as I said earlier, first raise knowledge about the Metroid universe and the Samus character before we start to introduce different elements like online or even going back to another handheld game for the next in the series,” clarified Sakamoto.

So that’s the latest scoop from the rumor mill, folks.  A 2D Metroid definitely has been the source of much speculation, and while the project has been discussed by Sakamoto and his associates, it’s evident that Metroid: Other M is the main priority of the developers.

Article from Gamersyndrome.com

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