The history of Fire Emblem is a long and complex one. Initially, it started out as a Japan-exclusive series on the NES with the game Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon and the Blade of Light, which is known to be one of the first tactical RPGs on home consoles. Sales of the title were flat for months but eventually picked up after word of mouth had spread. It was successful enough to warrant a sequel, however, with Fire Emblem Gaiden, also for the NES. The sales of this game are currently unknown, but again, they were enough to further the franchise into the next generation.
Fire Emblem: Mystery of the Emblem was the first game in the series to launch on the SNES (1994), but like the previous two entries, it was exclusive to Japan. It was quite possibly the first game in the series to transcend the franchise into multiple medias, spawning a 2-part anime series and manga adaptations with it. It was also popular enough to hold the No.1 position on Famitsu's chart for a whole year. Two years later, Fire Emblem: Genealogy of the Holy War was released, and 3 years after that, Fire Emblem: Thracia 776 launched. Both on the SNES, and both exclusive to Japan.
Eventually, the series moved to handhelds with the release of Fire Emblem: The Blinding Blade for the GBA. This was likely to accomodate Japan's changing tastes, as this was when Pokemon was becoming a huge phenomenon and handhelds were really taking off. In its first year of release, the title sold 345,574 copies in Japan and on release, it scored a 36/40 from Famitsu. Apparently, this was enough to convince Nintendo of the franchises' potential, as the next release, Fire Emblem, was released worldwide for the first time. As such, the game became a huge success and sold a staggering 345,000+ in Japan and 331,000 in NA, with approximately .97m sold worldwide. With this newfound success, Nintendo stood by the localization of the series once and for all.
However, that appeared to be the franchises' peak, because with the release of Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones in 2004, it was evident that the series was in a decline, both critically and commercially. Coming up short in both of these areas, The Sacred Stones scored 85% on Game Rankings (as opposed to Fire Emblem's 88.3%) and sold .89m worldwide. Not too much of a difference, but growth would've been preferred.
Taking the franchise back to home consoles was Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance for the GameCube. While it fared better by critics, it sold significantly less than its predecessor, only selling 156,000 units in Japan (as of December 2006) and .54m worldwide. It was now obvious that the franchise was in a steep decline and something had to be done. Luckily, Nintendo launched their best selling home console in 2006, and with it, Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn launched in 2007. However, despite the improved install base, the decline continued as the title only managed to sell .49m worldwide.
"Okay." Nintendo was thinking at this point, "We can only give this so many more tries before we have to put it down." And so they did.
Fire Emblem: Awakening for the 3DS launched on April 29th, 2012 in Japan. The development team stated that Nintendo had told them the game needed to sell at minimum 250,000 units for the franchise to continue, due to the series' sudden drop in popularity. This caused the team to panic and brainstorm numerous new elements for the game in order to save the franchise, including different settings such as the modern day or the planet Mars. However, they decided that if they were to implement these, it would alienate the fanbase and would do more harm than good. Eventually, they decided that it should be a culmination of all the Fire Emblem titles of the past and was ultimately built to be the definitive Fire Emblem game.
During its opening week in Japan, the game managed to sell 242,600 units, almost meeting Nintendo's goal in a single week. During its first week on the market in North America, it sold 180,000 units. Suffice to say, the goal was met as the game has sold approximately 1.55m units worldwide, becoming the best-selling Fire Emblem to date as well as the most critically acclaimed with a 92% Game Ranking and Metascore. With this, the franchise was able to thrive.
Fire Emblem: If was announced in the Nintendo Direct of January 2015. Only since the GBA has a successor been announced so quickly in the series, with this title incorporating the concept of choice and becoming the first in the series to have two separate versions (in Japan). Its reveal was renowned by the gaming media and fans alike, considering the franchise's near-death just years prior. It was a relief to know the games would continue to be made.
Furthermore, in the Nintendo Direct of April 2015, the crossover between Shin Megami Tensei and Fire Emblem was finally revealed, with the title Illusory Revelations #FE in Japan. It is to incorporate gameplay of a normal life by day with a fantasy world at night, and will take elements from both franchises (notably, the protagonists and enemies of the game resemble characters from Fire Emblem).
It is clear that the franchise is as popular as ever, and with that increase in popularity, Nintendo will continue to provide fans and critics with unforgettable experiences that shape the concept of an RPG. The coming years on the Wii U and 3DS will be unforgettable for fans of the series, and hopefully the future generations will be just as abundant in games as the franchise expands into new territory.
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