Overview
- Tanabe stated he will no longer be involved in Metroid Prime production going forward and suggested he is retiring from Nintendo after nearly four decades.
- He framed Metroid Prime 4: Beyond as the first installment of a planned Sylux-focused arc, with the ultimate Samus–Sylux confrontation left unresolved.
- He expressed hope that producer Risa Tabata and Retro Studios can carry the story to a conclusion, while noting any sequel remains uncertain.
- The remarks were published in Japanese magazine Nintendo Dream and surfaced online via Weibo, with outlets reporting them from translated excerpts as Nintendo has not commented.
- Tanabe acknowledged the game took far longer to complete than expected and leaves a legacy that includes credits on more than 150 Nintendo titles since joining in the 1980s.