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Metroid Dread Sets Franchise Record for Biggest Launch in UK History

Metroid Dread Sets Franchise Record for Biggest Launch in UK History - Sales

by William D'Angelo , posted on 10 October 2021 / 3,023 Views

Metroid Dread has set a record with the biggest launch for the franchise in UK history, according to the head of GamesIndustry Christopher Dring. 

The game beat out the previous record holder, Metroid Prime 3: Corruption on the Nintendo Wii, by a wide margin. This also doesn't include digital sales. 

It should be noted that Metroid is one of the smaller Nintendo franchises as it is the fifth biggest Switch launch in 2021 in the UK. Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD, Monster Hunter Rise, and New Pokémon Snap all sold better at launch.

Our own Paul Broussard gave the game a nine out of 10 in his review. "Despite a few slip ups here and there, Metroid Dread is a fantastic return to form for a series that has been dormant for far too long," said Broussard in his review. "Dread takes a lot of gambles and the vast majority of them pay off. Between the rock solid exploration and atmosphere, the incredible boss fights, and the solid tension building of the EMMIs, Dread is probably the definitive 2D Metroidvania of the 21st century. The 2010s may not have been kind to Samus, but the 2020s are certainly showing her in with style."


A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel dedicated to gaming Let's Plays and tutorials. You can contact the author at wdangelo@vgchartz.com or on Twitter @TrunksWD.


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22 Comments
Azzanation (on 10 October 2021)

Well deserved

  • +11
Doctor_MG (on 10 October 2021)

I'm hoping Metroid Dread becomes the first ever Metroid title to sell over 3 million units. It would be awesome if it went 5 million or more though!

I'm loving this game and would like more of it. Heck, get me some more remakes in this style as well.

  • +9
Greenfox Doctor_MG (on 11 October 2021)

With Christmas only 2 months away, this is an incredible sales result, and I wouldn't be surprised if it surpasses the 3 million mark.
The 5 million mark is harder to catch, but with the Switch effect anything is possible.

  • 0
curl-6 (on 10 October 2021)

Great to see, hope this pattern is repeated in other markets

  • +6
2zosteven (on 12 October 2021)

i do not understand why Metroid games dont have the big sales. these are amazing games! hope dread breaks the trend with huge numbers.

  • +4
xl-klaudkil (on 11 October 2021)

Great games should be rewarded with great sales!

  • +2
Otter (on 11 October 2021)

Yasss, now prime 4 next ;)

  • +2
dane007 (on 11 October 2021)

Mine is arriving tomorrow!

  • +1
Poliwrathlord (on 11 October 2021)

Hopefully this start a Metroid renaissance! A lot of Nintendo IPs go dark for a while and then come back to great sales that kickstart the series again like Kirby and Mario Party. Hope this does the same with Metroid. Looking forward to playing this and losing my Metroid cherry.

  • 0
Giggity_goo (on 10 October 2021)

lil on the expensive side for a flatformer

  • -9
G2ThaUNiT Giggity_goo (on 10 October 2021)

It’s not a platformer in the sense like Mario. Metroidvania is its own genre of game where there’s a huge interconnected map that allows you go up, down, left, right, etc. but its all about exploration, finding secret areas that open more of the map,, stronger weapons and abilities, along with boss battles. The cinematics and set pieces are very impressive too for this game.

  • -3
Alistair G2ThaUNiT (on 11 October 2021)

it's very linear, you don't really explore, and there aren't really any secrets (just marked blocks that you need a specific weapon to break)... but it is a good game (too linear, not good music, not very innovative, it was almost a remake of super Metroid honestly with annoying emmi sections, but damn great gameplay and controls)

just beat it, solid 8.5/10, hope it sells 3 million instead of the 500k the last metroid game sold on 3DS

crazy hard final boss, really satisfying to beat him finally, then I beat him a second time and barely got a scratch immediately after

i had to get out the pen and paper and write down his moves and think about how to react to every move, great stuff

  • +3
victor83fernandes G2ThaUNiT (on 11 October 2021)

Impressive for a switch game, maybe. I find the 3d parts is the worst thing about the game as it shows a lot of jaggies. Compare that to ratchet and clank where the gameplay in 3d looks better than the cinematics for metroid.
Game is good but I feel fans are overrating it. There's better games launched this year, in fact better switch games this year.

  • -8
Alistair victor83fernandes (on 11 October 2021)

I don't care about jaggies at all, the game is pristine and clear, but then I buy my games and play on an emulator also at high resolution... NO AA means no blur, I prefer jaggies over blur every time

my main problem with the visuals is it basically boils down to CAVE, FIRE, ICE, JUNGLE, and FACTORY, just the basics

  • -1
HoangNhatAnh Giggity_goo (on 10 October 2021)

Returnal ps5 is $70

  • -3
victor83fernandes HoangNhatAnh (on 11 October 2021)

You're comparing this to returnal? I have both and played both recently, metroid is nowhere near on the same level, returnal is in fact one of my all time favourite games, and it is something new, while metroid is barely any different from samus returns on 3ds.
The only switch game that can compete with returnal this year for greatness is Monster Hunter Rise.

  • -9
MTZehvor victor83fernandes (on 11 October 2021)

Having played (and reviewed) both games myself, can't agree at all; I think Dread is a much better experience. But that's the wonderful thing about opinions, everyone's entitled to their own, and it isn't inherently unreasonable to compare the two games, especially since they do follow a lot of the same beats in terms of setting and atmosphere.

  • -1
Mars2001 victor83fernandes (on 11 October 2021)

Returnal?Only 0.55M

  • -4
HoangNhatAnh victor83fernandes (on 11 October 2021)

Just 1 question: You're a big Sony fan, right?

  • +1
Alistair victor83fernandes (on 11 October 2021)

that's a fair opinion, but the controls in Dread are so good, and the last 2 hours including the BRUTAL final boss made me so happy when I won that I love Dread (even if it switches to credits kind of abruptly)

I haven't played Returnal though, it is locked to PS5...

  • 0
Mars2001 HoangNhatAnh (on 11 October 2021)

Returnal?Only 0.55M!

  • +1
Otter Giggity_goo (on 11 October 2021)

I would love for more flexible pricing for what appears to be smaller budget title (like $39-49), but I think full price for this is not an issue either as this game looks rich in details/cutscenes etc. More so than many of Nintendo's 2D titles which were also full price

  • +1