Is Metroid Prime 4 in trouble?

[firebush03]

Pemalite said:

Zippy6 said:

I think it being 3D immediately gives it more mainstream appeal. That there's not very much to get for Switch 2 this holiday will probably help also.

Keep in mind Super Metroid is probably the highest rated and adored Metroid game to date... Which was a 2D only title.. And that outsold Metroid Prime 2 and 3.
The 2D metroids have historically done just as well, if not better than the 3D titles.

Metroid Prime Remastered only pushed 1.5~ million units on Switch, which is a solid undertaking for a remaster.

1	Metroid Dread (2D)	3.04–3.07
2	Metroid Prime (3D)	2.84
3	Metroid (Original) (2D)	2.73
4	Metroid II: Return of Samus (2D)	1.72
5	Metroid Fusion (2D)	1.60
6	Super Metroid (2D)	1.42
7	Metroid Prime 3: Corruption (3D)	1.41
8	Metroid Prime Remastered (3D)	1.36
9	Metroid Prime 2: Echoes (3D)	1.10
10	Metroid Prime: Hunters (3D)	1.08

TBF there is a lot of nuance to this list. MP2:Echoes released (i) later into the GCN lifecycle and (ii) on the same day as Halo 2. There was never any hope for that game. MP3:Corruption & MP:Hunters released on a system in which non-casual titles sold infamously poor. MPRemastered was shadow-dropped with virtually no marketing. And every single one of those 2D Metroids released in very desirable conditions, whether that be on a system in which non-casual games sold well and/or a system which sold very well (i.e. NES, GB, GBA, NSW).

Accounting for these confounding variables, I’d personally argue that 3D Metroid has far better mainstream appeal than a 2D Metroid any day. Had Dread been a fully 3D experience with the amount of marketing it had received, I would not be surprised if the game had broke 5mil LTD.