MercurySteam talks working with Nintendo on Metroid Dread, says development wasn’t chaotic

MercurySteam CEO Enric Álvarez has discussed working with Nintendo and the development of Metroid Dread. This comes as part of an interview with Gamereactor.

The Switch title marked the second collaboration between the two sides following Metroid: Samus Returns, a remake of the Game Boy game Metroid II: Return of Samus. Álvarez said both companies “have an excellent understanding of each other”. He indicated that Nintendo is open to new ideas while MercurySteam was “hungry for leaving our own mark on the franchise.”

Álvarez’s full words:

“We have an excellent understanding of each other. I think that it’s fair to say that over time we became friends. And they are super talented people, super hard-working people. They have a work ethic that is unbeatable. And they are open to accept new ideas and to try them. So, we were also very hungry for leaving our own mark on the franchise. And we never ceased to suggest and propose ideas. And many of them ended up in the final product. So, we are very proud of the collaboration between us and Nintendo. And, yeah, as I said, one of the best development experiences we could possibly dream of.”

In October 2021, Anaitgames published a report with different accusations about  Metroid Dread’s development, including how it was “chaotic.” Álvarez was asked to comment, but ultimately noted that a troubled situation like that “doesn’t end with one of the best games in the franchise.”

He said:

“I don’t think the development was chaotic. Chaotic development doesn’t end with one of the best games in the franchise. It doesn’t end with a game that has sold over three point something million copies. It doesn’t end with a game that won TGA awards. That’s all I have to say about it.”