Nintendo Silent on Metroid Prime 4: Beyond Sales, Prompting Fan Concern Over the Series' Future

Nintendo's latest fiscal results are notably soundless connected the income show of Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, which has not appeared connected the company's database of cardinal copy-selling games for either Switch 1 oregon Switch 2.

The latest net from the company, released this morning, amusement that Switch 2 exclusive Kirby Air Riders sold 1.76 cardinal units since its accomplishment connected November 20. But there's nary notation of however good Metroid Prime 4, which launched conscionable a mates of weeks aboriginal connected December 4 — and for some Switch and Switch 2 — has performed.

Similarly, there's nary connection connected income for Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment, which launched connected November 6. This, however, was a Switch 2 exclusive, a spin-off (from The Legend of Zelda), and an introduction without the franchise's pb quality (Link).

As portion of its fiscal results, Nintendo includes lists of its first-party games that person sold implicit 1 cardinal copies, divided by platform. Metroid Prime 4 is not connected either the Switch oregon Switch 2 database — though could inactive person passed the 1 cardinal income fig via combined income from some platforms. If it did, however, there's nary mentioned of it doing truthful from Nintendo successful immoderate of its accompanying notes — and hardly immoderate notation of it having released astatine all.

Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment besides did not marque Nintendo's Switch 2 million-seller list, though its income show is apt to origin little interest among fans than the dilatory commencement for Metroid Prime 4. (Curiously, Age of Imprisonment's Japanese steadfast Koei Tecmo has indicated the crippled has present deed 1 cardinal sales, though Nintendo has not acknowledged this.)

For Metroid Prime, aft years successful the wilderness, a agelong and troubled development, and nary different games for the franchise yet announced, it remains to beryllium seen however oregon erstwhile we'll adjacent spot different introduction — oregon whether players volition ever get to spot much of Prime 4's baddie Sylux, whose communicative remains unfinished.

Last month, Metroid Prime bid shaper Kensuke Tanabe abruptly announced that Metroid Prime 4 would beryllium his past crippled for Nintendo aft 4 decades of service. When contacted for much item by IGN, Nintendo did not comment.

"Not surprising," wrote 1 fan, DarkLegend64, successful a lengthy thread connected the main Metroid reddit that laments the latest game's sales. "The selling for the crippled was horrendous, giving the feeling Nintendo conscionable sent the crippled retired to die. On apical of that, the monolithic disapproval the crippled has received from the fanbase has ensured it won’t bring successful caller fans from the word-of-mouth aspect. This game’s merchandise has been a full catastrophe and I erstwhile again fearfulness for the aboriginal of the Prime series."

"Metroid Prime 4 wasn’t the champion Metroid Prime, but it wasn’t a atrocious game," said TarnishedOctorok. "It was fun. It looked and sounded fantastic. It had immoderate large bits, epic showcase elements, and standout peculiar moments. At slightest I thought so. The monolithic corporate s*** that was taken connected it by WAY excessively galore loud-mouth influencers and different radical that didn’t get EXACTLY wherefore they wanted, earnestly wounded the brand, and volition apt doom immoderate accidental for different Prime game. Perhaps different Metroid crippled of immoderate kind."

Other fans, however, pointed to comments from Metroid co-creator Yoshio Sakamoto who antecedently suggested to IGN successful 2021 that different 2D Metroid crippled was planned, to travel the better-received Metroid Dread.

Elsewhere, Switch 2 motorboat rubric Mario Kart World is present connected an astonishing 14.03 cardinal copies (including those sold successful console bundles). This means that lone 3 cardinal of the Switch 2's 17.37 million-strong userbase bash not person a copy.

Pokémon Legends Z-A has shifted a combined 12.3 cardinal copies crossed Switch and Switch 2 (including 3.89 cardinal carnal Switch 2 copies sold). Switch 2 exclusive Donkey Kong Bananza has present passed 4.25 cardinal copies sold since July. Nintendo's Switch ports of Super Mario Galaxy (2.28 million) and Galaxy 2 (2.42 million) person besides performed good since their motorboat connected October 2.

While Metroid Prime 4 lone arrived astatine the commencement of December, the crippled had been highly-anticipated by halfway Nintendo fans pursuing a near-decade successful development. Unfortunately, reviews were little stellar than those of the franchise's beloved archetypal trilogy, and determination was notable disapproval anterior to motorboat for its chatty AI companions — a departure from the series' trademark of lone exploration.

Reading betwixt the lines, it feels similar Nintendo anticipated the game's reception somewhat. It has admitted that it knew the game's unfastened satellite conception mightiness consciousness outdated by the clip the crippled yet launched, portion an unnamed root wrong the institution reportedly blamed weaker Switch 2 console income successful immoderate regions this past vacation connected the deficiency of a large Western crippled — a relation Metroid Prime 4 should person performed.

Upcoming first-party Switch 2 games see Mario Tennis Fever (February 12), Pokémon Pokopia (March 5), Super Mario Bros. Wonder Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Meetup successful Bellabel Park (March 26), Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream (April 16), and Yoshi and the Mysterious Book, which has a vague "spring" motorboat window.

Simply listed for 2026 are Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave, Rhythm Heaven Groove and Pokémon Champions, portion Splatoon Raiders has a "TBA" motorboat date.

Third-party games see Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties (February 12), Reanimal (February 13), Resident Evil Requiem (February 27), Fatal Frame 2: Crimson Butterfly Remake (March 12), Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection (March 13), Pragmata (April 24) and 007 First Light (May 27).

As for Nintendo hardware, the institution contiguous confirmed that Switch was present its best-selling console household ever — and conscionable shy of the PlayStation 2's record-breaking total.

Tom Phillips is IGN's News Editor. You tin scope Tom astatine [email protected] oregon find him connected Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social