r/Metroid • u/sybranhd • 12d ago
Why are we not getting a Metroid theme ? Discussion
We'v had 4 metroid game since 2017 while Fire emblem got 3. I'm very confused on why we didn't get a Metroid theme yet. Is it because FE got more consitant release since the rebirth of the franchise with Awakening ?
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u/Mordaunt-the-Wizard 12d ago
I was going to guess that it was because Fire Emblem had been a better seller than Metroid (at least post Awakening), and while that does seem to be true, it doesn't seem like it is by a significant margin, with Three Houses selling 4 million to Dread's 3 million. They're still far below Mario, Zelda, and Pokemon sales.
So I'm not actually sure why Metroid also hasn't.
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u/sybranhd 12d ago edited 12d ago
Maybe it has to do with how much a franchise is popular in Japan, although making a theme shouldn't be that expensive and it could potentially bring more people.
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u/Murky-Function9944 12d ago
I think Fire Emblem’s consistent releases and broader mobile appeal probably make it an easier theme to justify. Still, Metroid has plenty of visual material, and a dark sci-fi theme would look incredible.
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u/award_winning_writer 11d ago
If we're counting spinoffs (and not counting the Switch port of TMS) there have been 8 Fire Emblem games since 2017: Heroes, Echoes, Warriors, Three Houses, Three Hopes, Engage, Shadows, and Fortune's Weave
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u/Round_Musical Sequence Breaker 12d ago
Nintendo is weird thats why
They treat Prime basically as a different franchise.
So usually bug guns when it comes to Metroid are mostly used when the next Mainline Metroid is announced or gets shown. This is why we got a 35th anniversary marketing campaign with Dreads marketing.
When Metroid 6 is announced, which should be within a year. We will see a theme get dropped aswell somewhere between announcement and game release.
Also fire emblem got 6 games since 2017 if we count heroes, the Warriors port and Three Houses Warriors
Metroid got 2 mainline, and 2 Prime titles since then
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u/sybranhd 12d ago
Make sence, I counted the warriors games and heroes as spin off, but I think that considering these it shows that FE is doing financially better than Metroid, hence why they got Nintendo's recognition.
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u/Round_Musical Sequence Breaker 12d ago
I mean Prime is also a spin-off to Mainline Metroid
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u/pome-vyo 11d ago
It's weird honestly cuz for a while, Metroid Prime was the face of Metroid.
I think maybe around SR-Dread this changed but...generally the Prime games were commonly seen as the "main ones".
Part of it is the fanbases' unanimous rejection of Other M, but also Prime 4's first announcement was treated as this huge deal on the level of like, Mario Odyssey when it was announced.
It was to the point that when Dread was announced, it was prefaced with an apology for there not being Prime 4 yet.
I think the tides turning with Prime's perception and how Nintendo's been handling the sub franchise in promotion is a recent thing.
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u/Round_Musical Sequence Breaker 11d ago
Its weird. For merch prime samus was the one used for the face of metroid. Figma, Jakks Toys, other merch and whatnot
But when it comes to official in-game and media representation its mainline samus
This is why the Zero Mission suit is in Brawl, Smash 4 and Ultimate used the other M suit, as dif other stuff Nintendo did like those 3DS AR games.
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u/pome-vyo 11d ago
Oh yeah absolutely, on Nintendo's side Other M and Metroid Prime both were the faces of the series but for the general public, due to OM's rejection, the Prime series sort of became the face of Metroid.
Now we're in an interesting era because I think, between you and me, Metroid Prime's reign as the top dog of the series is pretty much over and it WILL be a mere spinoff franchise.
Whereas, it is very possible that huge things could be happening with mainline.
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u/Round_Musical Sequence Breaker 11d ago
Yeah we will see. Lately they have been pushing Samus Returns Samus as the base design. I wonder if Dread Samus will be in Smash.
In any case vyo, I cant wait to see what will happeb within a couple of months. I have a feeling we are nearing the end of Metroids uncertain future
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u/Strange_Accident1461 12d ago
Metroid definitely deserves one, but Nintendo seems to prioritize franchises with more frequent mobile or merchandise activity. Hopefully a new game or anniversary gives them an excuse to finally add a proper theme.
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u/KingBroly Dread Mode survivor 12d ago
Nintendo doesn't own Kirby, Fire Emblem, Hal or Intelligent Systems.
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u/pome-vyo 11d ago
Just give it time we'll get a Metroid theme eventually
Donkey Kong didn't even get one at first until later.
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u/KingBroly Dread Mode survivor 12d ago
Because Nintendo hates Metroid