As Metroid Prime 4: Beyond launches on December 4, 2025, for Nintendo Switch and Switch 2, players are advised to duplicate their save files before entering the endgame to avoid missing out on full completion. The game's point of no return can overwrite saves, locking access to unexplored areas. This tip comes from GameSpot's review highlighting a confusing design choice by developer Retro Studios.
Save Management Tip
In Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, achieving 100% completion involves thorough exploration typical of Metroidvania games. However, progressing to the endgame presents a risk: the auto-save system locks players into the final area after the point of no return, while the primary save slot updates to a 'Mission Complete' state, which restarts the game upon loading.
GameSpot reviewer Steve Watts described this in his review: "When I was ready to proceed to the endgame, I got the usual warnings about a point of no return, but I had figured I could always load an older save to go back and do more exploring to pick up power-ups that I missed. But the auto-save now has me locked into the final area with no such apparent option, and my regular save slot--the one that activates when Samus steps into a save station--has been overwritten with a Mission Complete, so loading it prompts me to start a new game."
To mitigate this, players should use the main menu's option to copy their current save to another slot before advancing. This allows finishing the story while preserving the ability to return for missed items later.
Additional Game Details
The title features a new voice for protagonist Samus Aran, with Erin Yvette taking over from Jennifer Hale, who voiced the character in prior Metroid Prime entries. Krystle Martin handles motion capture for Samus. Developer Retro Studios and Nintendo may address this save issue in a future update.
For more on the game, including buying options, refer to GameSpot's coverage.