Metroid Prime 4 Hits the Million-Mark: Why This "Quiet" Success is a Win for Samus

The Bottom Line: Nintendo has officially confirmed that Metroid Prime 4: Beyond has surpassed 1 million copies sold across both the original Nintendo Switch and the Switch 2. Despite its absence from the latest quarterly financial report—which sparked a firestorm of "doom-posting" across Reddit and X—a Nintendo representative confirmed the milestone to journalist Stephen Totilo on February 4, 2026.

Context Matters: The 17-Year Wait

We’ve been tracking Samus Aran’s return since the disastrous "reboot" announcement back in 2019 when Nintendo scrapped the original build to bring Retro Studios back into the fold. For a franchise that hasn't seen a mainline Prime entry since Corruption on the Wii, hitting seven figures this quickly is a massive relief. We believe the "missing" status in the financial report wasn't a sign of failure, but rather a result of Nintendo’s strict internal reporting thresholds for software highlights.

Let’s be real: Metroid has always been the "prestige" franchise for Nintendo—it wins over the critics and the hardcore "Metroidvania" enthusiasts, but it rarely moves the needle like Pokémon or Zelda. Comparing these numbers to Metroid Dread’s launch shows that the Prime sub-series still holds significant weight with the veteran demographic.

Analysis: The Switch 2 Factor

The decision to go cross-gen was clearly the right play. Our analysis suggests that Metroid Prime 4 is serving as a critical "bridge" title for the Switch 2. While the base Switch install base is massive, the Switch 2 version offers the high-fidelity experience that 1st-person shooters demand. We suspect a significant portion of these sales are "double-dippers" or early adopters looking for a technical showcase on their new hardware.

• Cross-Gen Synergy: By launching on both platforms, Nintendo mitigated the risk of a low install base on the new hardware.
• Long-Tail Potential: Metroid titles tend to be "evergreen." We expect this to be a slow burn that continues to sell as more players migrate to the Switch 2.
• Brand Health: This million-unit milestone proves that the 2019 development reset was the correct move. Quality over speed paid off.

The Verdict

We don’t think 1 million copies is the ceiling; it’s the floor. While the "mainstream" crowd might still be obsessed with the latest battle royale or gacha trend, Beyond is doing exactly what it needs to do: satisfying a starved fanbase and proving that Samus can still carry a AAA budget. This isn't a flop—it’s a calculated victory. If you were worried that the lack of financial report mentions meant the end of the Prime series, you can breathe easy. Samus isn't going back into cryosleep anytime soon.