MercurySteam CEO Disputes Claim That Metroid Dread Development Was Chaotic
NintendoEverything has shared some interesting quotes from a recent interview with MercurySteam CEO Enric Álvarez.
MercurySteam was the main studio who worked with Nintendo to produce Metroid Dread, the long awaited 2D Metroid sequel that released in 2021. Prior to this, MercurySteam also worked with Nintendo on Metroid: Samus Returns, the 3DS remake of Metroid II: Return of Samus on the Game Boy.
Metroid Dread is an indisputable critical and commercial success. Unfortunately, there are several allegations of poor management at MercurySteam. You can read the full account of allegations here, but we will provide a quick summary below:
One specific source, a former MercurySteam programmer, shared this statement from where most people now characterize the game’s development as chaotic:
“The development of Metroid Dread was quite chaotic. Many times, giving me directions, my lead and the game director would contradict each other and this was always paid for by the workers.
There is talent but many times it is not in the best positions. They manage people very badly and things come out with a lot of sweat and tears.
They don’t trust the worker at all and it shows. You don’t feel valued. The bad atmosphere is constant and it’s very tense, in general.”
Understanding this context, this is Álvarez’ response to the accusations of chaotic development, translated courtesy of NintendoEverything:
“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.”
Álvarez was positive about working with Nintendo,
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