John Cena Reportedly Begged Nintendo for a New 2D Metroid Prior to Metroid Dread
Years before Nintendo ever released Metroid Dread on Switch, it seems that movie star and WWE wrestler John Cena was one of the biggest proponents of getting a new 2D entry in the series. In the past, Cena has made it clear that he played video games a lot when he was growing up. And while it might be hard for him to find time in his schedule to play games much nowadays, it seems that he was a huge fan of the most recent game in the Metroid series.
According to Giant Bomb's Dan Ryckert, Cena once lobbied for a new 2D Metroid game to be made by Nintendo when taking part in a promotional event for the Nintendo Switch back in 2017. When the Switch first came out, Cena happened to film some commercials associated with the console, which is how he made it known that he loves Metroid. Fast forward to 2021, Ryckert claims that Nintendo ended up sending Cena a copy of Metroid Dread to play in his downtime. Cena's representatives ended up reaching back out to Nintendo to let them know that he was very pleased with the final result.
During this photo shoot in 2017, Cena repeatedly told the Nintendo reps how much he wanted a new 2D Metroid. When Metroid Dread came out years later, he was sent a copy. Cena’s people sent an email back saying “John loves it.” pic.twitter.com/Rjg3uh6ynv
— Dan Ryckert (@DanRyckert) June 26, 2022
If you're wondering how Ryckert would know this information in the first place, he actually used to work at WWE. Following his recent return to Giant Bomb, Ryckert has periodically been sharing stories about his own time with the company. Clearly, this tale of Cena and his adoration of Metroid Dread is something that he may have caught wind of.
What's perhaps a bit funny about Cena being such a big fan of Metroid is that it's a bit more niche compared to some of Nintendo's other franchises. Properties like Super Mario, Zelda, Animal Crossing, Donkey Kong, and Mario Kart all tend to sell substantially more copies compared to that of Metroid. And while that doesn't mean that Metroid has no fans whatsoever, it's still interesting to hear that Cena's favorite Nintendo series of all is one that appeals to a smaller audience.
Like Cena, were you happy with how Metroid Dread ended up turning out? Let me know for yourself either down in the comments or reach out to me on Twitter at @MooreMan12.