Sales Data GI.biz - Just how big is the Metroid franchise in the UK?

[mazi]

Just how big is the Metroid franchise in the UK? | UK Time Tunnel

Metroid Dread arrived last week, the sequel to a game that launched almost 18 years ago. GamesIndustry.biz decided to t…

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Metroid Dread arrived last week, the sequel to a game that launched almost 18 years ago. GamesIndustry.biz decided to take a trip down memory lane with GfK Entertainment, to remind ourselves of the franchise's high points (and low points).

Metroid is one of the most influential video game series in the world. It's a franchise that commands huge respect, to the extent that is even had an entire genre name after it -- Metroidvania.

Yet it's never been a commercial powerhouse. In the UK, across 15 Metroid games (the first Metroid game launched in a time before charts, so we don't have that information), the series has sold just over 600,000 units. To put that into context, that's considerably less than Animal Crossing: New Horizons sold in a year.

 

[Dardan Sandiego]

This proves that we need a Hunters remake.

 

[Kenka]

Jesus. Even Super Metroid and Metroid 2 are in the charts.
The data goes way back!

 

[HK-47]

Really shows how bad the UK’s taste is. Super above Prime Pinball? Disgraceful

 

[KC Hazel]

The entire franchise save for the original has only sold 600k? Dang I knew Metroid wasn't a big IP but I didn't know it was that small outside of the US. Dread will likely climb that chart pretty fast.

 

[Donnie]

Really just waxing lyrical at least my experience anecdotally growing up: Super Metroid came at the point where the UK was still in Sega fever. I literally knew no one with a Snes, it was Game Boy or nothing in regards to Nintendo, so Super Metroid missed that cultural moment for the series here, I had never played it until the Wii for example. While Mario, Zelda etc had their cultural moments on n64 so there is a level of cultural penetrative and nostalgia there, Metroid was absent from the n64. So it's always been a lesser recognised property here specifically the 2d entries, despite the popularity of Samus as a character.

Not really going anywhere with this lol I just really hope this can be the breakout! And I kind of feel the challenge level of this game might help, I think there's an audience that wants that now and might garner a stronger following. I finished the game last night and it might be the best entry in the series tbh or at very least sitting right beside Prime.

 

[ILikeFeet]

#Justice4FeddieForce

And a Hunters sequel. That was definitely a "right time" game

 

[Aaron]

Hunters had the demo with the OG DS Phat, which wouldn't have hurt. And it also came out when DS had the red-hot 'Touch Me' marketing campaign going on.

 

[AngryAlchemist]

In the UK, across 15 Metroid games (the first Metroid game launched in a time before charts, so we don't have that information), the series has sold just over 600,000 units.

WOW. That is so bad, lol! I knew U.S. carried Metroid hard over the years, but I didn't realize it was that hard.

 

[Marce-chan]

600k is really really low
I'd love to see how the series did in France.
Well in Japan it became a non-seller with Prime/Fusion, and yet, Metroid 1 sold 1 million just there and Super sold 500k even tho it flopped everywhere else. I wonder if Dread will get the franchise back to japanese market. I know it won't ever get back to OG or even Super sales but I think it will surpass Fusion comfortably and be a 300k seller, that's already an A-tier seller there(per Miyamoto).

 

[javac]

And people wonder why these fan favourite series go dormant, people don't buy them, maybe that'll change.

 

[Aurc]

And people wonder why these fan favourite series go dormant, people don't buy them, maybe that'll change.

I bought three copies (one SE, two standard for friends), the Samus and E.M.M.I. amiibo pack, and the Ridley and Dark Samus amiibo reprints, so I did my part here in the US. UK just has sus taste, I guess.