Metroid Dread Dev Teases “Project Iron”—A Dark Fantasy RPG
Fans of Metroid Dread and Castlevania: Lords of Shadow have something new to look forward to. Developer MercurySteam has finally given a sneak peek at its upcoming dark fantasy action-RPG, currently known as Project Iron. The studio released a short teaser on social media, hinting that more details will be revealed during IGN Fan Fest, which takes place from February 24-28.
The teaser, posted on X (formerly Twitter), is only 15 seconds long but already has fans buzzing. The clip features a hammer resting on a stone table, surrounded by floating embers and an orange glow coming from the lower-left side of the screen. While it doesn’t reveal much about the game itself, the hashtag Forge Your Legend suggests that crafting or blacksmithing could play a role in the gameplay or story.
Project Iron was first announced in 2021 as a collaboration between MercurySteam and publisher 505 Games. While details have been scarce, we do know that it will be a third-person action-RPG set in a dark fantasy world. In a 2023 interview with Gamereactor, MercurySteam co-founder Enric Álvarez confirmed that Project Iron will be a single-player experience, built using the studio’s in-house Mercury Engine.
This will mark a new direction for MercurySteam, which is best known for its work on Nintendo’s Metroid series and Konami’s Castlevania: Lords of Shadow games. The developer gained widespread recognition with Metroid: Samus Returns in 2017 and Metroid Dread in 2021, both of which received critical acclaim. Before that, the studio worked on Castlevania: Lords of Shadow (2010), its sequel Lords of Shadow 2 (2014), and Mirror of Fate (2013), a 2D side-scrolling spin-off.
On the publishing side, Project Iron is being backed by 505 Games, a company known for releasing successful titles like Terraria, Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night, and Control. However, in 2023, developer Remedy Entertainment acquired all rights to the Control franchise, meaning 505 Games is now looking for its next major hit.
Fans won’t have to wait much longer for more information. With IGN Fan Fest just a few weeks away, MercurySteam is likely preparing to give players a better look at Project Iron. Whether it’s a gameplay reveal, a cinematic trailer, or even a release window, the upcoming event should finally shed some light on what the game is all about.
For now, the teaser has sparked plenty of speculation. Could Project Iron feature weapon crafting? Will it have deep RPG mechanics, or will it lean more toward the action-packed combat MercurySteam is known for? Fans will have to wait until later this month to find out.
Stay tuned for more updates on Project Iron as we get closer to IGN Fan Fest!
