Metroid Dread

The only in-game reference to Metroid Dread; found in Corruption's Metroid Processing on the Pirate Homeworld

Metroid Dread is a fan-assumed 2D Metroid title, rumored to be chronologically after Metroid Fusion, presumably planned to be released for the Nintendo DS. According to Game Informer, the game has "been in development" since 2005. Only rumors of the game's existence have ever surfaced. In Metroid Prime 3: Corruption, one of Samus's scans hints that "Metroid Project "Dread" is nearing the final stages of completion". Later, Nintendo stated they were not working on any 2D Metroid project for the DS, killing off the rumors.

In an interview about Metroid: Other M, producer Yoshio Sakamoto was asked if this was what became of "Project Dread". Sakamoto announced that the day may come when Dread will hit stores, but it is not the same game as Other M.

At the 2010 Game Developers Conference, Sakamoto returned to the subject, "not denying" the rumors that Metroid Dread was still in development, but not committing to a release date, saying there's never been an official announcement.

Much like the case with Metroid 64, any time Dread is mentioned, it seems that replies from game producers and Nintendo seem vague and confusing or blatant denials of the game's existence.

Scan Data from Metroid Prime 3: Corruption

Located in: Pirate Homeworld - Metroid Processing

Experiment status report update. Metroid Project "Dread" is nearing the final stages of completion.

MTV-Retro Studios Interview

Late 2007, MTVNews interviewed a couple of Retro Studios producers on the then-new Metroid Prime 3: Corruption. In part of the interview, MTV had a Q&A session with Mark Pacini (Corruption's game director), Tod Keller (art director), and Bryan Walker (game producer) in which Dread's reference in Corruption was discussed and cast aside as a "fluke".

MTV: What's the story behind the apparent reference in "Metroid Prime 3" to "Metroid Dread," the rumored but never-confirmed 2D game some fans hope is being made at Nintendo?
Pacini: "It's not what you think it means… it was something that was overlooked and wasn't in any way indicating anything about the handheld game. We know no information about the handheld games.

MTV: Are you suggesting that you got in trouble or something?
Pacini: Not at all. We actually had a fictional element of something else in the game that by a large coincidence could be read that we were giving a hint about "Metroid Dread" which was not the case. It's a complete and utter coincidence.

MTV: OK.
Pacini: That's all I can say on it.

MTV: That only makes me more confused. [laughing] I'll see if I can parse what you just said to me.
Bryan Walker, Producer, Retro Studios: I think the bottom line there was [that there was] no innuendo in the reference that you're mentioning.

MTV: But you guys expected that some people would have a reaction to it. That it would be the stuff of news stories, yes?
Pacini: We didn't think anything of it.
Walker: Purely innocuous, really.

MTV: Really? Honestly?
Walker: We're not that clever. No conspiracy.

MTV: [pause, laughing] You're not pulling my leg here. Definitely innocuous?
Walker: Yup.