Metroid Ravenous Leaked via Brazilian Rating Board for Switch 2
A previously unknown game titled Metroid Ravenous has been leaked via a now-removed age rating listing on the official website of Brazil's Ministry of Justice and Public Security. The listing, first spotted and reported by the Brazilian outlet Universo Nintendo, was filed by Nintendo of America and lists the project's production year as 2026.
The rating was swiftly deleted from the government site, but a screenshot shared by Universo Nintendo editor Felipe "Necro" Lima corroborates its brief existence. No official announcement has been made by Nintendo regarding the title.
Metroid Dread promotional art.
This leak points to the next major installment in the Metroid series following Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, which launched in late 2025. The sudden appearance and subsequent removal of the listing has ignited widespread speculation among fans about the nature of the project.
Switch 2 Platform Indication and Age Rating Details
The leaked rating explicitly lists the game's intended platform as the Nintendo Switch 2. This detail, reported by Brazilian outlet Universo Nintendo and corroborated by VGC, provides the strongest official indication yet that the unannounced title is being developed for Nintendo's next-generation console.
According to the captured documentation, the rating was filed by Nintendo of America. The listing was swiftly removed from the Brazilian Ministry of Justice and Public Security's website after its discovery on July 1, 2026, a common occurrence for unintended early reveals.
In-game screenshot of Metroid Dread.
The regulatory filing also contained age rating specifics. The game was initially marked "not recommended for children under 10 years old," but the final assigned rating was "not recommended for children under 12 years of age." This aligns with the 12+ rating given to 2021's Metroid Dread.
The production year listed in the filing is 2026. While this does not confirm a release date, it signals that the project is currently in active development. No further technical details about the game or its Switch 2 capabilities were present in the brief listing.
The Connection to Metroid Dread and MercurySteam
The newly leaked "Metroid Ravenous" is widely speculated to be a direct sequel to 2021's Metroid Dread, positioning it as the next mainline, chronological entry in the series. This connection is drawn from the title's thematic link to Dread's villain, Raven Beak, and the logical progression of the franchise's storyline.
Should the listing be legitimate, industry observers note it is far more likely to be another 2.5D side-scrolling gameplay title rather than a first-person adventure. As noted by VGC, given the development timeline of Metroid Prime 4, a new 2.5D game is a more plausible follow-up to Metroid Dread, which was released five years prior and was a major critical success.
Samus Aran in Metroid Dread
The natural developer for such a project is the Spanish studio MercurySteam, which developed Metroid Dread and 2017's Metroid: Samus Returns. The studio has a proven track record with the format, with Nintendo Life calling Dread "a super-slick, hugely entertaining and exquisitely designed entry." MercurySteam was confirmed in 2023 to be working on two large undisclosed titles, one of which remains unannounced.
Metroid Dread itself is the narrative successor to Metroid Fusion, set after its events and currently serving as the latest chronological point in the overall Metroid saga. A sequel titled Ravenous would therefore continue this storyline, becoming the sixth mainline game and the most up-to-date chapter in Samus Aran's journey.
Lore Speculation: Raven Beak and Metroid Prime 4 Beyond
The title "Metroid Ravenous" has ignited immediate speculation among fans, primarily due to its apparent connection to Raven Beak, the Chozo antagonist from 2021's Metroid Dread. The name "Ravenous" is seen as a direct linguistic link to the character, fueling theories that the newly leaked project is a narrative sequel to the previous 2D entry.
This timing places Metroid Ravenous in a notable position within the series' release schedule. According to the leaked Brazilian rating documented by Universo Nintendo and reported by VGC, the game has a listed production year of 2026. This would position it as a follow-up arriving relatively soon after Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, which launched in December 2025. As noted in IGN's coverage, the proximity has left fans "equal parts excited and puzzled" at the prospect of another major Metroid title so quickly.
Combat encounters in Metroid Dread.
The swift succession suggests Nintendo may be pursuing parallel development tracks for the franchise's first-person 3D and side-scilling lineages. Given the lengthy development cycle of Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, analysis from VGC suggests a new first-person adventure is "highly unlikely," making a 2.5D sequel to Metroid Dread the more plausible scenario. This would advance the main storyline from where Dread left off, potentially further exploring the lore surrounding Raven Beak and the Metroids.
Ultimately, without official confirmation from Nintendo, the connection remains speculative. However, the clues embedded in the title and the strategic release window point toward Metroid Ravenous potentially expanding the narrative universe established in Dread, while Metroid Prime 4: Beyond continues the separate Prime saga.