Nintendo's latest financial report, covering sales figures up to December 31st, 2025, indicates a surprising market reception for two of its major releases: Metroid Prime 4: Beyond and Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment. Neither game managed to surpass the one-million-unit sales mark within the reported period. This news comes as a point of discussion among industry observers, particularly given the high anticipation surrounding these titles.
Gaming Giants Face Unexpectedly Slow Starts
In a recent financial briefing released on February 3rd, 2026, Nintendo shared its sales data for various flagship games. Notably absent from the list of top-performing titles, which had all exceeded one million sales, were the much-discussed 'Metroid Prime 4: Beyond' and 'Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment'. While precise sales figures for these specific games were not disclosed, their exclusion from the million-plus sellers confirms a comparatively slow launch. Metroid Prime 4, available across both Switch 1 and Switch 2 platforms, faced a tight sales window of less than four weeks to hit the million-unit milestone. The sales division across two console versions may have further complicated its path to rapid success. On the other hand, 'Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment', exclusive to the Switch 2, had a longer period to amass sales but still did not reach the target. This is particularly striking given that its predecessor, 'Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity', achieved three million sales in just its opening week. Industry analysts are now pondering whether the next financial update, anticipated in May, will bring more favorable news for these titles.
The initial sales performance of these titles presents an interesting case study for the gaming industry. It highlights that even well-established franchises and highly anticipated releases are not immune to market fluctuations or specific launch conditions. For developers and publishers, it underscores the importance of strategic marketing and release timing, especially in a competitive landscape with multiple console versions. From a player's perspective, it raises questions about how these early sales figures might influence future development and support for beloved series. Ultimately, the long-term success of these games will be determined by sustained engagement and critical reception, rather than just their opening week numbers.