Hollow Knight: Silksong Could Outsell Entire Metroid Franchise After Launch

Hollow Knight: Silksong and Metroid Prime 4: Beyond (Credit: Team Cherry/Nintendo)

Hollow Knight: Silksong is finally set to release in just a few days, and early projections suggest it could surpass the lifetime sales of Nintendo’s entire Metroid franchise.

The original Hollow Knight, developed by Team Cherry, has already sold more than 15 million copies, according to a report from Bloomberg. That figure has likely risen further following the recent surge in interest after Silksong’s release date announcement.

The sequel is one of the most highly anticipated indie games in years, with massive wishlist numbers on Steam, and analysts expect it to outperform its predecessor.

By comparison, Nintendo’s Metroid series, which helped define the “Metroidvania” genre alongside Castlevania, has seen modest sales despite its critical acclaim. The franchise spans 17 titles across multiple platforms, but collectively, they have sold around 21.45 million copies in total, as highlighted by The Game Business’s Christopher Dring. Even with its iconic status and decades of history, Metroid has struggled to reach the sales highs of more mainstream Nintendo series.

The best-selling entry so far is Metroid Dread (2021), which crossed the 3 million mark — an impressive milestone but still far from Hollow Knight’s numbers. Other notable entries include Metroid Prime and the original Metroid on NES, each selling a little over two million copies, while the much-revered Super Metroid sits at around 1.42 million. To put that into perspective, Pokémon Scarlet and Violet sold over 27 million copies, exceeding the entire Metroid series by more than six million units.

If Silksong sells even half as much as the first Hollow Knight, the indie series will comfortably outsell all 17 Metroid games combined. And considering the hype, many believe Silksong’s lifetime sales could easily surpass its predecessor.

Still, Metroid isn’t completely out of the running. Nintendo’s Metroid Prime 4: Beyond is in development and expected to get a release update soon. Fans are hopeful that the long-awaited entry will boost the franchise’s momentum.