When Metroid Prime: Federation Force was announced at E3 2015, the title received a lot of backlash from fans. For years fans had been eagerly anticipating Samus’ next adventure, but instead they were given a spin-off game that didn’t feature the famed bounty hunter.

During the latest Nintendo Direct presentation, Metroid Prime series producer Kensuke Tanabe took some time to explain the development. Federation Force has been in development since 2009, with the team’s ultimate goal being to make an online multiplayer title for a handheld system. When the New Nintendo 3DS was announced, the team felt they could finally achieve their vision. The producer mentioned he always wanted to explore the battles between the Galactic Federation and the Space Pirates, which was only hinted at briefly in the main series. Tanabe ended his message by promising that Metroid Prime: Federation Force “absolutely belongs in the Metroid universe”.

Following the Direct, a new story trailer was released which can be viewed below: