So has Metroid Prime 2:E bombed in the states or not?
- Thread starter SantaC
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soundwave05
Member
I expected it, GameCube software sales aren't exactly robust to begin with right now.
Really though Metroid has never been a "blockbuster" franchise. It was always the "fringe" title on the NES compared to the Mario and Zelda series. Super Metroid didn't sell that well on the SNES.
Metroid Prime had decent sales, but had a ton of hype too, there seems be less of that this time around.
Honestly, I think Metroid is a lot like the movie series its inspired by -- the Alien franchise. The Alien franchise has never been quite as popular as say the Terminator or Star Wars movies; the Alien movies tend to be slower paced a bit more "moody". Likewise Metroid is a slower paced/more atmospheric style of game that's never really been quite as mainstream.
Right now, Nintendo is just trying to hang their hat on some kind of franchise which isn't a cartoony character and Metroid is about the only thing they have left (during the N64 era, James Bond filled this void perfectly).
I do hope though that if MP2: Echoes fizzles some what in terms of sales, that NCL will let Retro make their own franchise. I'd really like to see what they can do without the confines of a pre-existing franchise.
Really though Metroid has never been a "blockbuster" franchise. It was always the "fringe" title on the NES compared to the Mario and Zelda series. Super Metroid didn't sell that well on the SNES.
Metroid Prime had decent sales, but had a ton of hype too, there seems be less of that this time around.
Honestly, I think Metroid is a lot like the movie series its inspired by -- the Alien franchise. The Alien franchise has never been quite as popular as say the Terminator or Star Wars movies; the Alien movies tend to be slower paced a bit more "moody". Likewise Metroid is a slower paced/more atmospheric style of game that's never really been quite as mainstream.
Right now, Nintendo is just trying to hang their hat on some kind of franchise which isn't a cartoony character and Metroid is about the only thing they have left (during the N64 era, James Bond filled this void perfectly).
I do hope though that if MP2: Echoes fizzles some what in terms of sales, that NCL will let Retro make their own franchise. I'd really like to see what they can do without the confines of a pre-existing franchise.
johnjohnson
Member
Prine said:
Me too. I even bought an import cube to play the game after it was so heavily hyped by others.
MP2 will probably be the worst selling original entry in the series (the current one with that title is Super Metroid, actually- selling only 1.39 million copies worldwide).
Metroid Prime sold about 100,000 in Japan. 500,000 in Europe, and 1.2 million in NA (off the top of my head- and yes, these are shipment estimates).
I think Echoes will do 100,000 in Japan (despite the sell-through being much less), 250,000 in Europe, and maybe around 750,000 in the US. About 200k for the November NPD and December NPD each. Since Nintendo counts bundles (not that I do), there will probably be about 600,000 MPEs sold (shipped) to the US by the end of the year.
Metroid Prime sold about 100,000 in Japan. 500,000 in Europe, and 1.2 million in NA (off the top of my head- and yes, these are shipment estimates).
I think Echoes will do 100,000 in Japan (despite the sell-through being much less), 250,000 in Europe, and maybe around 750,000 in the US. About 200k for the November NPD and December NPD each. Since Nintendo counts bundles (not that I do), there will probably be about 600,000 MPEs sold (shipped) to the US by the end of the year.
Tritroid said:
I'd like to reiterate that I have seen at least twice as many commercials on TV for Metroid Prime 2 than I have for Halo 2. Plus, every Halo 2 commercial I saw was after the commercial release, whereas I have seen MP 2 commercials before and after. Now, admittedly, I don't watch G4techtv or MTV or any of those other channels that get heavy rotation, but I think it's a somewhat stupid point to make. The heaviest hype for Halo 2 came from the fanbase and the treatment the games got from magazines, which Nintendo has very little control over.
And by the way, the commercials for both the games sucked, although the one for Metroid Prime 2 sucked MUCH more (are you afraid of the dark? WTF is wrong with these people?)
Duckhuntdog
Member
I don't think Echoes will even do 300k in it's LIFETIME. So it's a bomb.
soundwave05
Member
I hate to say it, but I think GameCube is really marginalized as a platform.
Honestly, Nintendo hasn't really been a mass-market player in terms of consoles since Zelda: Ocarina of Time.
That said, they've probably shipped a good load of MP2 copies, which they make a profit off regardless.
I've never really thought of Metroid as a very mainstream series though. It's always been more of a fringe thing.
Retro should have an original FPS for the Revolution launch.
Honestly, Nintendo hasn't really been a mass-market player in terms of consoles since Zelda: Ocarina of Time.
That said, they've probably shipped a good load of MP2 copies, which they make a profit off regardless.
I've never really thought of Metroid as a very mainstream series though. It's always been more of a fringe thing.
Retro should have an original FPS for the Revolution launch.
Tritroid
Member
How are you justifying that it's a stupid point when you're backing it up by what you have witnessed personally? It varies you know. Just because you've seen more MP2 commercials doesn't mean that it had more air time than Halo 2, because if you'll notice there are other people in this thread who rarely saw one MP2 commercial (Myself included). It's like the people who say that DS/GC/PS2/Xbox or any portable/console bombed simply because in their area they saw over 50 on the shelves, it's moot.Nerevar said:
Also, it isn't just about the tv ads.
soundwave05
Member
I'm predicting sales of about 250,000 in November. If it goes over 300,000, I'd say that's pretty decent.
Tritroid said:
My point is that the one area that Nintendo had direct control over, they didn't drop the ball. How would you suggest Nintendo "hype" their games more? I'm just curious, because the majority of "hype" surrounding the other big November releases (Halo 2, Half-Life 2) were primarily driven by the gaming community, not by Valve or Bungie (or MS).
PanopticBlue
Member
Link316 said:
You can add me to that growing list, and if there's already several of us just in this little thread who bought Prime and have passed on Prime 2, well then you do the math. Also, I would like to add, I did enjoy Prime, however the controls are a big reason why I am passing on Prime 2. Not looking for an argument here, just saying it IS a deciding factor for me (and I'm sure others as well).
Chi-Town said:
That's not an accurate comparison becuase the other consoles had two of their biggest relases this gen come out at roughly the same time as well as more competition over all. Halo 2 and GTA:SA are going to cannabalize A LOT of good titles... MGS3 included I'm afraid.
DarkAngelYuna
Banned
WTF, When did it come out? *runs to store*
SonicMegaDrive
Member
:lol
'Nuff said.
'Nuff said.
Nerevar said:
Some halo 2 fans visiting various forums for updates? The fans set up a hidden Bungie cam? The fans printed and produced the halo 2 merchandise? The fans said :Halo 2 is a lot like Halo 1, only it's Halo 1 on fire, going 130 miles per hour through a hospital zone, being chased by helicopters and ninjas ... And, the ninjas are all on fire, too.? The fans arranged tv spots? The fans arranged a celeberity-centric Halo 2 party? The fans arranged it so Linkin Park (or whoever it was) can play Halo 2 before the fans?
In most cases, there would be little hype if it were not driven by the producing company. To say Bungie/MS has no major part in driving the hype is ludicrous.
Naked Shuriken said:
Make up your minds people. Last gen it was "Nintendo needs to put out sequels to these games quicker! THEY NEED MORE GAMES! Milk those great franchises! We want more!"
Now it's "I think we have to ask ourselves if we really needed a Metroid Prime sequel so quickly."
Nintendo cannot win in the eyes of this board no matter what they do. The sooner the N fans here realize that and quit feeding the trolling, the better.
?Rocket Punch
Member
monkeyrun said:
Didn't even need to look at the tag to know you were one. JM that is.
Rocket Punch
Member
AniHawk said:
Those numbers are pretty optimistic. I forsee no more than 600,000 all across. I'd happily admit it if you're right tho!
Tritroid
Member
Yeah that's pretty much what it boils down to. A lot of people are fighting the same battles day in and day out because certain people here are only in it for the anti-Nintendoism. (And most of them are bitter Segabots of years gone by now proclaimed Xbots trying to enact revenge.)Dave Long said:
[/end rant]
But either way, the truth is if MP hadn't gotten a sequel, people would have complained that there about there not being enough games to play on GC in November (Even though they already do, remarkably.) So you're right, some people are never happy.
SonicMegaDrive
Member
What do Sega fans need to get revenge on Nintendo for? Nintendo didn't drive them out of the console market.
I'm curious, how come everything dealing with Metroid Prime has to be compared with Halo? I mean, it's like Nintendo fans have this huge inferiority complex that they just can't get over. And now ...
No, the Halo fans who created the warthog jump video. The fans who created gamespy tunnel and xbconnect (or whatever it was) so that they could try their hardest, even if it was a flawed solution, to play it online. The same fans who made Halo one of the biggest-selling games of this gen, and created numerous fansites (HBO) and explored every nook of Halo to find all the bugs and feed the rest of the fan community.
And that was supposedly free with a pre-order!
Right, Retro never talked about Metroid Prime 2 in a glowing fashion. Just a few quotes from my first hit on google:
b) I don't know why on Earth anyone cares about b-list celebrities playing video games.
I'm not saying the company had no part. I'm saying Nintendo didn't really drop the ball. What more could they have done? Metroid Prime isn't going to get a "making of" or whatever on MTV, because MTV knows that it's not going to get the viewership to break even, because the community buzz just isn't there. Like I said, look at the vast gaming communities spawned by Half-Life 2 (arguable the most popular PC game ever, with more mods than any other game out there and a thriving gaming community) or the active game community devoted to Halo 2. I'm saying they drove hype for Halo 2 and Half Life 2 to unprecedented levels, not the developers or publishers.
And seriously, stop focusing so goddamn much on Halo 2. Half-Life 2 had almost every bit as much hype, with almost no marketing push by Valve or Sierra. Usually, with big-name games, hype just creates itself.
Society said:
No, the Halo fans who created the warthog jump video. The fans who created gamespy tunnel and xbconnect (or whatever it was) so that they could try their hardest, even if it was a flawed solution, to play it online. The same fans who made Halo one of the biggest-selling games of this gen, and created numerous fansites (HBO) and explored every nook of Halo to find all the bugs and feed the rest of the fan community.
Ok, well, I guess Nintendo didn't do that. But then again, I had no idea Bungie did. And I bet the majority of the people who waited in line for it on day 1 didn't know either.Society said:
Gee, I guess Halo was the only game this gen that had merchandise. Oh wait ...Society said:
And that was supposedly free with a pre-order!
Society said:
Right, Retro never talked about Metroid Prime 2 in a glowing fashion. Just a few quotes from my first hit on google:
etc etc. Of COURSE the developer is going to say those things.
Didn't we already discuss this? Nintendo did make commercials. And when MTV or whatever runs their "making of .." for Halo 2, it's not doing it because MS asked them to. It's doing it because it knows that there's a market for people to watch it. They know that they're going to get advertisers to pay for commercial spots, and get viewers to watch. So, in a sense, yes, the fans are the driving force behind things like that.Society said:
a) Nintendo had a "celebrity-centric" party.Society said:
b) I don't know why on Earth anyone cares about b-list celebrities playing video games.
Once again, news to me. And I bet it was news to the majority of people in line.Society said:
Society said:
I'm not saying the company had no part. I'm saying Nintendo didn't really drop the ball. What more could they have done? Metroid Prime isn't going to get a "making of" or whatever on MTV, because MTV knows that it's not going to get the viewership to break even, because the community buzz just isn't there. Like I said, look at the vast gaming communities spawned by Half-Life 2 (arguable the most popular PC game ever, with more mods than any other game out there and a thriving gaming community) or the active game community devoted to Halo 2. I'm saying they drove hype for Halo 2 and Half Life 2 to unprecedented levels, not the developers or publishers.
And seriously, stop focusing so goddamn much on Halo 2. Half-Life 2 had almost every bit as much hype, with almost no marketing push by Valve or Sierra. Usually, with big-name games, hype just creates itself.
soundwave05
Member
SonicMegaDrive said:
:lol That's so true. If anything Nintendo would probably love to go back to a Nintendo-Sega marketplace.
Rocket Punch
Member
drohne said:haters vindicated.
given the monstrous overrating of the original, i'm sure there was a large contingent of gamers who bought it and disliked it. of course it wasn't going to generate any word of mouth enthusiasm.
Hardly, this is the generation that has made superstars out of Britney and her army of clones, who chose their artists by popularity contests and appearance regardless of inherent abilities and talent, has made walmart the most powerful retail conglomerate worldwide. And (in the States at least) don't even care who their president is... These people could care less about games that were not based on instant gratification. They're the ones who would rather buy mostly identical sports games every year religiously for top dollar. Make your own conclusions.
The Interrobanger
Member
monkeyrun said:
Please, just shut up now.
Actually, it is you who are doing that. I am not everyone else, do not associate my posts with everyone else.
I am not even going to go through the rest of your post, all it does is compare MP to Halo 2 in some irrational fanboy rant. I did not suggest in the slightest that Nintendo did not hype MP, I was just mentioning how absurd it was to say Bungie/MS has not a major part in driving the hype.
Mashing said:
MP also released at the same time as GTA and Splinter Cell and still managed to do quite well. Halo2 and GTA:SA are no excuse for poor MP2 performance. It is the biggest game on GC this Holiday Season.
If Echoes performes poorly (which I suspect it will), it has more to do with the current state of the GC. It certainly doesn't have the mindshare that it did in Nov '02.
SonicMegaDrive
Member
Yes, I was. I was one the fortunate ones who loved both systems equally.
SonicMegaDrive
Member
Not all former Sega fanboys jumped to the Xbox, as many believe though. I can speak for a lot of people I know who bought Gamecubes and PS2s.
you're reverting to the preposterous implication that metroid prime is somehow "highbrow," rather than just boring. videogames are a basically lowbrow, populist medium. it doesn't require erudition or refinement to enjoy them. metroid prime's problem isn't that it delays gratification, it's that it isn't gratifying.
I loved the first Metroid Prime. I don't know why, but I just am not as interested in MP2 than I was in MP. Probably because I just don't see too much new there and the multiplayer doesn't look too hot. Although I bet it's an awesome game.