The Metroid series has not had the best luck in the past. While the franchise has resonated greatly with a dedicated number of Nintendo fans, Metroid has always rested a couple steps below other first-party Nintendo franchises sales-wise. While this still remains the case somewhat, 2021’s Metroid Dread has become the best-selling entry in the series so far.
In an interview conducted by Spanish publication ‘Gamereactor’ Enric Álvarez, the CEO of MercurySteam (the studio behind Metroid Dread) discussed the team’s situation with Nintendo while also refuting previous claims that development on the game was “chaotic.”
As translated by NintendoEverything, when asked about the indie studio’s relationship with Nintendo, Álvarez stated: “We have an excellent understanding of each other. I think that it’s fair to say that over time we became friends. And they are super talented people, super hard-working people. They have a work ethic that is unbeatable. And they are open to accept new ideas and to try them. So, we were also very hungry for leaving our own mark on the franchise. And we never ceased to suggest and propose ideas. And many of them ended up in the final product. So, we are very proud of the collaboration between us and Nintendo.”
Back in October 2021 following the game’s release, a number of devs from MercurySteam claimed that work on Metroid Dread was chaotic. When asked to comment on these claims, Álvarez denied the accusations, saying:
“I don’t think the development was chaotic. Chaotic development doesn’t end with one of the best games in the franchise. It doesn’t end with a game that has sold over three point something million copies. It doesn’t end with a game that won TGA awards. That’s all I have to say about it.”
Development aside, it is interesting to get updated sales figures for Metroid Dread. Previous figures shared by Nintendo in May of last year revealed that Dread had become the best-selling entry in the series with 2.9 million copies sold. While “three point something million copies” is far from a concrete figure, it is encouraging to see the 2D title continuing to sell.
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KitGuru says: What do you think of Metroid Dread? Are you one of the 3 million+ players? How many copies do you think Metroid Prime 4 will sell? Let us know down below.