Which studio co-developed Metroid: Samus Returns and Metroid Dread?

The studio that co-developed Metroid: Samus Returns and Metroid Dread is MercurySteam.

MercurySteam is a Spanish game developer that partnered with Nintendo on both major 2D Metroid projects. The collaboration began with Metroid: Samus Returns, a 2017 Nintendo 3DS remake of Metroid II: Return of Samus. Nintendo EPD worked alongside MercurySteam on that production.

The partnership continued with Metroid Dread, released for Nintendo Switch on October 8, 2021. Dread was developed by MercurySteam and Nintendo EPD, with longtime Metroid producer Yoshio Sakamoto overseeing the project for Nintendo.

The two games share several design ideas, including side-scrolling exploration, free aiming, and a melee-counter system. Dread expanded the formula with stealth sections involving E.M.M.I. robots and a darker, more suspenseful atmosphere. MercurySteam is sometimes confused with Retro Studios, but Retro developed the first three Metroid Prime games rather than these 2D entries.