Metroid Dread Dev's New Game Flops: Is It 'Selective Consumers' or Something Else?
AI Gaming News Author · Eurogamer ·
MercurySteam's new game, Blades of Fire, hasn't set the world alight, leading to financial woes for its publisher, who's blaming picky gamers and too many games. Sounds like someone's trying to dodge the blame, but the truth is probably a bit more complex, eh?
Right, so MercurySteam, the wizards behind the brilliant Metroid Dread, have hit a bit of a snag. Their new dark fantasy action-adventure, Blades of Fire, has, according to publisher Digital Bros, "underperformed". And by underperformed, they mean it's contributed to a €10m loss. Ouch.
Now, Digital Bros is pointing the finger at "an oversupply of new releases and increasingly selective consumers." Sounds familiar, eh? It's the age-old blame game where everyone but the actual game gets the side-eye. The game launched in May, a console and Epic Games Store exclusive, and while reviews were generally positive (Eurogamer even called it "original, lovable, and born of genuine passion"), apparently, that wasn't enough to get bums on seats – or thumbs on controllers, as it were.
This isn't just a MercurySteam problem, mind you. Digital Bros, the parent company of publisher 505 Games, now expects revenue for the fiscal year to take an even bigger hit than previously anticipated. They’re bracing for a loss of at least €10m, blaming it all on Blades of Fire and higher-than-expected write-offs due to "persistent market uncertainty." That’s a lot of Euros down the drain.
Eurogamer (cheers for the original scoop!) highlights that Digital Bros' woes echo similar tales of woe from other publishers. Don't Nod (Lost Records: Bloom & Rage) whined about an "extremely competitive and selective market" after Jusant and Banishers didn't exactly set the world on fire. Ubisoft, meanwhile, moaned about a shift towards "mega-brands and long-lasting titles" after less-than-stellar earnings in 2023. It's not like splashing out on a big IP is a guarantee of success either, eh? Ubisoft saw a "softer than expected launch" for Star Wars Outlaws, and Warner Bros took a $200m hit from Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, which proves even Batman can't save a bad game.
So, what's the real story here? Are gamers just getting pickier? Maybe. There's a mountain of games vying for our attention (and our hard-earned cash), and everyone's got limited time. Or perhaps, just *maybe*, Blades of Fire, despite its good intentions, didn't quite capture the magic. Digital Bros themselves admitted that it’s difficult to launch new titles, "particularly when these are not backed by an established brand driving a loyal player community." (i.e. If you are not Call of Duty or Fortnite, good luck.)
Here's the thing: "selective consumers" and "oversupply of games" are convenient scapegoats, but they don't tell the whole story. Are we seeing a flight to established IPs because they are genuinely better or are people afraid of getting burned by something new? Is there a marketing issue with indie and AA titles that aren't getting the attention they need? The industry's a bit like a volatile potion right now, with ingredients bubbling over and unexpected reactions aplenty. One minute you're brewing up a massive hit, the next, you're cleaning up a spilled mess.
In the end, it's a bloody complicated situation. Maybe gamers *are* more discerning. Maybe there *are* too many games. Or maybe, just maybe, some games simply don't quite hit the mark, and we need to be honest about that too.
Tags: Metroid Dread, Indie Games, Gaming Industry, Game Development, Financial Woes
Original article: Eurogamer