It’s difficult to overstate how impactful the success of theOriseries has been overall. Not only have the series' sales helped to catapult the success of its developer, Moon Studios, but bothOri and the Blind Forestand its sequel,Will of the Wisps, have also been part of a huge resurgence of the Metroidvania genre in general. AlongsideOri,a slew of other inventive and ambitious Metroidvania titles have been released over the course of the last decade to huge success, helping this once struggling genre to finally find its place again within the gaming industry.
Yet, despite this success, it still feels like the Metroidvania genre doesn’t quite receive the recognition it deserves. While many titles over the years have proven the amount of creativity and ingenuity that can be found within the genre,larger developers and studios are still failing to take advantage of this potential on a larger scale. It’s a huge shame, as Metroidvanias have consistently been some of the most enjoyable and engaging titles of the last few years, and the genre as a whole deserves far better treatment than it is currently receiving.
Ori Is Just One Of Many Successful Metroidvanias
The Genre Has Seen A Resurgence In Recent Years
On Tuesday, Moon Studios founder Thomas Mahler announced that bothOrigames had achieved a collective totalof 15 million sales. The number is staggering for any video game in general, but it’s even more impressive for indie titles that released as Moon Studios' first two games, serving as a testament to the high quality of theOriseries. However, these incredible sales are not just a reflection of Moon Studios' creativitybut have also been part of a resurgence in popularity for the Metroidvania genre in general.
It has not been detailed exactly the total number of sales each entry in theOriseries has achieved individually, with Mahler only providing a grand total for both games.
Within the past decade, there’s been no shortage of Metroidvanias that have beenreleased to both critical acclaim and commercial success. One of themost popular titles isHollow Knight, which was lauded by critics for its immersive atmosphere and inventive mechanics, andTeam Cherryrevealed that the game had sold 2 million copies during its first two years of release. Other major successes likeAxiom VergeandBloodstained: Ritual of the Nightfurther boosted the popularity of the Metroidvania genreas a whole.
Hollow Knight: Silksong’s Newest Update Is The Opposite Of Reassuring
Hollow Knight: Silksong’s lack of updates have become agonizing, and the most recent update fails to reassure fans over the game’s status.
While the resurgence of the Metroidvania genre is certainly impressive, it’s also not too surprising.Many of the Metroidvanias released over the past few years have offered a huge amount of variety and creativity in both gameplay and presentation, which has demonstrated the huge potential that the genre still possesses. Whether it’sDead Cells’s unique blend of Metroidvania and roguelike elements, orNine Sols’s futuristic setting and frenetic combat, the genre has been responsible for some of the most original titles of the last few years.
The Metroidvania Genre Currently Lacks Huge AAA Titles
The Genre Is Being Sustained Almost Exclusively By Indie Developers
Unfortunately, despite the recent success that Metroidvanias have seen, the genre has yet to receive the industry-wide recognition it deserves, in large part due to a lack of support. For example, few Metroidvania titles have come from AAA studios, with the genre being upheld almost exclusively by indie developers.The distinct lack of AAA Metroidvanias means the genre very rarely finds itself in the spotlightcompared to more popular genres, preventing it from fully capitalizing on its success.
Having a bigger team at the helm grants developers the freedom to challenge the Metroidvania genre and to push it in an entirely new direction.
What makes this lack of support so disappointing is how it could also be limiting the Metroidvania genre as a whole.The larger budgets and resources that AAA studios typically possess open a wide range of possibilitiesfor more ambitious and larger-scale Metroidvanias. Having a bigger team at the helm grants developers the freedom to challenge the Metroidvania genre and to push it in an entirely new direction in a way that might be limited for indie developers with tighter budgets and smaller teams.
There’s One Genre Of AAA Game We’re Sorely Missing In 2024 (& PlayStation Just Proved It)
One genre of AAA game has been missing for years, but Sony is bringing it back this year as revealed in a new and exciting PS5 game trailer!
Yetthere seems to be a reluctance from AAA studiosto take advantage of this potential. Even though there are instances where a chance is taken in the genre,likePrince of Persia: The Lost Crown, these moments are often few and far between, and there’s no commitment to allowing Metroidvanias to prove themselves on a bigger stage. It not only prevents the genre from seeing greater successbut could actively impede its ability to evolve, as the scope and ambition of these games are limited.
Metroidvanias Deserve More Recognition
The Genre Possesses Huge Potential
The success of theOriseries and many other Metroidvanias merely serves as proof that the genre deserves more recognition. The growing interest in Metroidvanias over the last few years demonstrates the huge potential success that AAA studios could capitalize on by fully embracing the genre. Moreover,the acclaim that many of these titles are receiving is indicative of the levels of imagination and originality found within the Metroidvania genrethat studios could utilize to create their own creative and ambitious titles as a result.
7 Years After Its Announcement, Metroid Prime 4 Is More Important Than Ever
Metroid Prime 4: Beyond has had an unusually long development, and it now has high expectations for not just the series, but the Switch as a console.
Thankfully, there are signs that the Metroidvania genre could be receiving better treatment. For example, Nintendo’s beloved sci-fi franchiseMetroid, which the genre is partially named after, made a triumphant comeback after a long hiatus with the immensely successfulMetroid Dreadin 2021,followed byMetroid Prime: Remasteredin 2023. Through a multitude of releases,Nintendo has clearly recognized the popularity and creativity that theMetroidseries is still capable ofand is continuing to take advantage of this withMetroid Prime 4: Beyondset to launch this year.
It’s also worth noting thatMetroid Prime 4: Beyondwas announced back in 2017, and although the delay has been frustrating, it shows how long Nintendo has had a renewed commitment to theMetroidseries.
The level of commitment Nintendo is demonstrating withMetroidis what the entire Metroidvania genre is in desperate need of. It’s still unclear whether the genre’s many indie successes and renewed popularity will see it eventually gain the recognition it deserves in the AAA market. Regardless, the succcess of theOrigames highlightsthe huge amount of creative potential the genre still possesses, which could be fully realizedif it receives support from larger studios that have the necessary tools to match that ambition.
