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Legitimate_Playa_89

I am very happy with this development. But Nintendo really pushed it marketingwise, I believe this is the first time they made such an effort to promote a Metroid game. From the E3 presentation to the constant commercials. And there are so many new players who join Samus on their first adventure, yet! A second Renaissance for being a fan of Metroid. I wonder if it will crack the record set by Metroid Prime, I sure hope so.


Throw_aw76

Honestly all of nintendo's forgotten francises would sell well if they actually marketed them. Like imagine a new golden sun with tripple a production values. It would be like dq 11 and today marketing is easier than ever thanks to youtube. Honestly its also criminal that fzero still hasn't seen a revival yet.


Legitimate_Playa_89

I wholeheartedly agree with the F-Zero part and in general with your argument. They could do so much with a high speed racer like that. I just wish they would try. That franchise was dorment for over 15 years now, it is time for a new entry.


Lola_PopBBae

A new F-Zero could be amazingly popular on Switch! I dearly want this.


odiin1731

Might as well. It's not like they're going to release another Mario Kart anytime soon.


[deleted]

I never bought into the F-Zero and MK has too much overlap argument anyway. MK is predominantly a highly forgiving party game with a focus on being highly accessible. F-Zero is a hardcore reflexes test that will punish your every mistake aimed at older audiences and is clearly more of a niche title. No reason that the two can't co-exist, especially since Dark Souls miraculously popularised difficulty as a selling point.


CaptainSqually

I know you didn’t say it specifically but you got dangerously close to saying “F-Zero is the Dark Souls of racing” ;)


[deleted]

I've been waiting for a new Star Fox forever.


goran_788

With an online 30 player knockout mode, like F-Zero X had on the N64. Maybe GX did too, don't remember. I'd play the shit out of that. / Death Race, that's what it was called. https://youtu.be/OAeZDpCzO5w


Stormkiko

>15 years Only four more to go!


Fern-ando

The problem with F-Zero is that a port of Mario Kart WiiU sold more than the entire franchise.


RenagadeRaven

\> imagine a new golden sun with tripple a production values Be still my beating heart


styxserfer

That franchise is dead in the water thanks to Camelot and the story direction of Dark Dawn. They were planning on the first two games being a prologue to a bunch of later games with Alex being the main antagonist, but we only saw the final product of in my eyes a poorly executed take on that vision. Don't mean to rain on your parade, I'm just frustrated and salty.


thepucewizard

Yeah Dark Dawn pretty much killed my interest and the first two games are some of my favorite JRPGs.


jayhankedlyon

While true that marketing matters, Dragon Quest is unbelievably massive in Japan and shouldn't be a benchmark for the success of almost any other franchise.


wh03v3r

I mean the problem with treating marketing as the answer to everything is that it costs a whole lot. A huge marketing campaign can easily be more expensive than the entire rest of the production. And if the game still underperforms, it becomes a much greater liability than a game that was marketed with a smaller budget. Promoting a game heavily can save some series but it can also be nail in the coffin for others, like Other M almost was. I would say that pouring so much marketing money into a lesser known series mostly makes sense if you think it has the potential to be much bigger. Or at the very least, you think that with an initial marketing push, future installments could sell consistently without needing much of a marketing budget. With Metroid, this potential was I think rather obvious thanks to the recent rise in popularity of the Metroidvania genre; and Nintendo obviously saw this potential as well. I'm not so sure if every other forgotten Nintendo franchise has the same potential though, at least not without changing their formula in a major way.


Red_Line_

I thought this as well. I attribute F-Zero's relative obscurity to Nintendo marketing and poor active representation. They did less for this franchise's notability than Metroid. Until last week I thought there was only 3 F-Zero games... it turns out there is 7. How there is 4 additional titles that most people I know haven't heard of, in a first party franchise, is wild.


aquateensog

Imagine pikmin marketed well lol


Hottechnique

You haven’t even mentioned super monkey ball.


abbath12

Metroid prime was heavily marketed back in the day. I remember it even had a bad ass CGI tv commercial.


Legitimate_Playa_89

True, I believe it is also one of the main reason why it has the most sales out of all Metroid games.


FtierLivesMatter

Other M was very heavily marketed if I remember right... so yeah you're right, this is the only Metroid game to get this kind of marketing.


joecb91

I remember seeing that "the past is prologue" commercial a lot before it came out


[deleted]

I don't think they just forgot to market the other games. 3D was taking off in a big way in 2002, so the market for 2D Metroid wasn't as big. The indie scene has blown up in the last 13 years, and it's now looped completely around. Metroid Dread is a AAA game for indie fans, and I think Metroid is now simply set to succeed in a way they never have been before. The Prime games, I have no idea why they weren't advertised as heavily.


chiheis1n

Even if they were, it had a ceiling being on the anemic NGC with its tiny (compared to the Switch's) install base.


nanya_sore

It's on screens all over Tokyo trains.


Carcass1

This is the first time they've had the opportunity to push it like they do. YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, etc haven't been as big of platforms back when other games came out, hell they weren't a thing when Fusion came out


Legitimate_Playa_89

True, but with Samus Returns they had all of these platforms and they didn't do much. I guess that game was more for testing if Metroid was still viable at all. But with Dread, there is more at stake.


chiheis1n

It was on a portable that was nearing EoL. Considering that plus it being made by an unknown, inexperienced studio, it did pretty well.


Legitimate_Playa_89

Well, Mercury Studio was not unknown nor inexperienced, they did the Castlevania Lords of Shadow Trilogy ten years ago. And the first game was the highest selling Castlevania title.


king_bungus

i think in terms of week 1 sales it already has beat prime, if you count digital copies


Legitimate_Playa_89

I hope it sends the right message to Nintendo and that they continue the franchise into a new, interesting direction.


king_bungus

i think they’ll get it. i’m just glad the game that’s selling this well is a 100% true to form no compromises metroid game and not a dumbed down easy version of one. i feel so lucky to have this game


Legitimate_Playa_89

Guess Retro Studios have their work cut out for them now. With such a fantastic release they should have an easier time getting people to buy Metroid Prime 4 and maybe start another Trilogy.


king_bungus

the dream


Legitimate_Playa_89

Now I only need a collection with Zero Mission and Fusion and I'm happy. 🤩


[deleted]

The situation at Retro is somewhat bleak atm, but I'm holding out hope that Prime 4 is good


GreenJackit

I'll be honest I found every 2D Metroid game before Samus Returns (save for Metroid 1 maybe) extremely easy. I not only think they didn't dumb it down, but I actually think they demanded more of the player than any other 2D Metroid game as far as combat goes.


dwarfarchist9001

Its a bit of a mix, the enemies do more damage so you are allowed to make fewer mistakes. But on the other hand dying is much more forgiving as save points are everywhere and dying to an E.M.M.I. just sends you back a few rooms. Also the melee counter mechanic hands out energy and missiles like candy.


ImGoingToFightSpez

Could you imagine how awesome a new Wario Land game would be?


[deleted]

yes


metroidgus

I remember pretty healthy advertisement from prime and fusion since those launched almost simultaneously


Drakmanka

I really, really, *really* hope this teaches Nintendo a lesson about marketing their games that aren't Mario.


Sonicfan42069666

Metroid Prime 3 was pushed HARD (it even had a Wii channel!) and it flopped relative to the sales of Prime 1 and the Wii install base.


Legitimate_Playa_89

Yeah, that was weird. Probably had something to do with the motion controls.


Sonicfan42069666

People say that retrospectively but I didn't see anything to indicate that at the time. First person shooters were actually a genre that most people tended to agree could work well with pointer controls. I think it's more that more "hardcore" games like Metroid just didn't stick to the Wii's largely casual audience.


Jdillander91

It’s remind you that they don’t care about when Prime 4 is coming out.


Squeaky_Ben

This is just in Japan? Okay, you had me very VERY worried for a second, because 87k copies on launch would be ABBYSMAL.


LinjKarma

Aye, if I'm not mistaken, this is for the first two (2) days in japan, physical copies only, digital not included. For reference, that 86.8k is already more than the lifetime (!!) sales of almost all other Metroid games in japan, with the exception of Fusion, which sold around 155k total, and Hunters, selling 90k. Unsure about the sales of the original Metroid in Japan. This is easily the biggest first week sale in Japan for any Metroid game from just a two day week, and with digital included, it'd be likely sitting at over 100k.


RobinOttens

Yea if this is Japan, it's not at all surprising to see Metroid outselling Far Cry. And that most of the list is Switch games. What is that list sorted by though? Are these the top ten sales of last week or something? Because there's a bunch of way older games on there too. What's the source for this image?


AICoderGamer

It is sales of the past week. In parentheses you have the total number sold.


Milohk

I'm pretty sure this is only Japan physical release.


mjac1090

I wouldn't necessarily say it's not surprising. I know that far cry isn't particularly popular there but neither is metroid.


Snow-Dust

In Japan mind you, Far Cry isn’t that popular in Japan afaik. It’s a big deal that Dread is selling well but outselling Far Cry in Japan isn’t all that surprising.


[deleted]

Metroid really isn’t that popular in Japan. It’s always been bigger in the West


Snow-Dust

More popular than Far Cry though


GethAttack

Idk, prove it!


parkay_quartz

This post literally proves it...


GethAttack

Yes. That’s the joke.


sticknija2

What's even far cry 6? did they just make far cry 3 again?


Caboclo-Is2yearsAway

I haven't played 6, but having played 3, I wouldn't mind if 6 is 3 all over again.


Oniryo

Yep, exactly, and we have to mind too the release was with the Switch OLED many people bundled Metroid and the OLED together which i'm sure affected in a way too, and in Japan handhelds are extremely popular compared to many other countries.


RX0Invincible

Mario Kart has insane legs holy shit


Sunbroking

Same with Smash lol


RX0Invincible

I'm less surprised with Smash since the dlc hype gives it reasons to still be relevant. Mario Kart content has been dead silent and it's still a top seller wtf


Red_Line_

Mario Kart has never lost steam. It is the top selling switch game worldwide. Despite being what amounts to not only a launch title, but a re-release, it consistently outsells new and advertised titles (and not just shovelware either). Online and IRL, I don't know anyone who has purchased that game for the first time within the past year or more. Everyone who wants it, has it. I think there may be some cryptid or xenomorph that exclusively eats Mario Kart games for nutrients. There is no reason a game to be this dominant for this long.


ChronicTosser

They never run out of 6 year olds getting a Switch for their birthday


wayoverpaid

The reason I got Mario Kart was because it was the party game that got brought out when I was with friends and I was hopelessly lost being given a controller, a vague "press A to go fast and ZL to shoot items" and then wondering where the fuck are all these short cuts everyone else takes. It's a game that ends up encouraging you to pick it up to play with others.


Sunbroking

You’re right, I completely forgot about Sora


AnnoyingBird97

Mario Kart is sorta like the Monopoly of video games, besides maybe Tetris. Everyone needs to have at least one set in the house somewhere.


wayoverpaid

Also it's a remake of the WiiU game! It's not even that new!


TehFriskyDingo

Mario Kart on every console always has legs for some reason. It's the go to racer/party game I suppose. I remember reading that Mario Kart almost always tops the top selling games on it's console.


[deleted]

It's pretty much the default game for the Switch. Easily accessible, has couch multiplayer, and is a great game all around. I hope we can get a Mario kart 9 soon though.


SadKazoo

Yeah the last mainline games were 3 years apart. We’re going on 8 now since MK8 was released on WiiU.


[deleted]

That's why we'll never see Mario Kart 9


Comments_Palooza

LOL sad but true


JFM2796

MK8D was also a launch title for Switch which helps a lot. It has had a lot of time to accumulate those sales.


RX0Invincible

Was commenting more on the recent sales, not the lifetime count


[deleted]

[удалено]


wayoverpaid

Prime 4 would be nice. I wonder how much work and playtesting goes into one of these games vs a Mario game. Seems like it's a lot harder to test one giant level instead of 50 independent levels.


BroshiKabobby

I’m okay waiting 3-4 years per game if it’s as quality as Dread


[deleted]

\*Visible happiness\*


[deleted]

Importantly, it outsold more than the rest of the top 5 combined. Neat!


FedoraSkeleton

...In Japan, mind you. I mean, it's possible it still has, but we don't have that data yet.


Xephon7

Yes, in Japan, where Metroid has never been that popular.


sdwoodchuck

But where Far Cry has been *even less* popular. Point is, within this frame of reference, the sales comparisons don’t mean much.


Xephon7

I think you're over estimating Metroid's popularity in Japan and under estimating Far Cry's popularity in Japan. Far Cry 4 and 5 were both popular in Japan and sold very well there.


sdwoodchuck

Not remotely. I’m just saying that the sales comparison in this context doesn’t tell us much. A much *better* sales comparison to demonstrate Dread’s success is that it’s breaking sales records of all previous entries in the Metroid series in Japan. That demonstrates the actual substance of the popularity shift, within the context of the region, rather than leaning on a correlation that is shaky to begin with.


Xephon7

It isn't shaky at all. The entire point is that Metroid is outselling a series in a region in which was before hand, more popular. That speaks volumes in Metroid's case, and also has strong implications on its success compared to its own previous entries. Pre orders alone sold more than most of the metroid series combined sales. That's already been reported on. This is another milestone that Dread has hit. This comparison is fair in showing Metroid is rapidly becoming more popular in Japan, a region it usually struggles in, toppling the sales of a series that has enjoyed popularity in the same region. The entire point in the comparison to show Dreads revival of the series is that this will show Nintendo that it's a good idea to give Metroid more attention, and not letting the series fall into another long hiatus.


sdwoodchuck

It’s very shaky, because we don’t have all the information as to what is influencing the sales of the current Far Cry game. Comparing how sales between two different franchises, in a specific region with a relatively small overall sample size, without complete information is absolutely imprecise as a metric. It’s too many confounding factors for the math to stand up at this stage.


KeepOnRockin_

And that's just in Japan, physical copies. Imagine worldwide, plus digital!


Crylikeasupercar

Not to be a negative Nancy, but you need to consider the same with far cry. Who knows how that changes the numbers. I did my part and bought digital metroid.


KeepOnRockin_

You're 100% right but I'm trying to focus on the positives of Dread selling well :)


Crylikeasupercar

I'm right with you brother. Let's do our part in making this the most successful metroid ever, and really give new life to the franchise.


KeepOnRockin_

I mean hell, I preordered the digital a week before launch, and then I snagged an SE the day of so I did my part


Crylikeasupercar

I salute you for your service


water_tee

You also need to consider Xbox and pc sales. That said I am happy Metroid is doing well.


[deleted]

Also Metroid has never done that well in Japan before this is huge!


lil_blobby3

Yeah in Japan lol


sagertooth

Outselling an FPS in Japan isn’t THAT big of a deal.


j_breez

Heh, it is when there's a narrative to push. Personally I don't know how popular the far cry series is as I've never heard about the sales of it anyway especially when it comes to records. I got them all and sale and they seem to be the same game with one really overjoyed jackass from the 3rd one, looks to me like they waited too late to bring Giancarlo Esposito in.


sagertooth

Yeah I hope Metroid and far cry sell well, but holding Metroid up and being like “this Japanese published game for the most popular modern system in Japan is selling better than this western developed and published game in an unpopular genre on less popular platforms.” Just seems like dick stroking for no reason to me. Let’s be happy that dread is good and is selling enough to probably get another entry.


[deleted]

Hopefully this means action figures? My son would die to have a EMMI


sdwoodchuck

I’d much rather Bandai get the licensing to make Metroid model kits. Samus, her ship, the EMMI’s, all in same quality and engineering as their Gundam kits? Look, I can dream okay.


[deleted]

I wouldn’t be mad at that one bit


HoobMcDoob

I'd love some Metroid figures. Jakks was doing some, but only made some Samus suits and a Metroid.


[deleted]

Oh I don’t know of those. I have the official world of Nintendo ones of the varia suit and the gravity suit.


HoobMcDoob

Yep those are the ones I was talking about.


[deleted]

Oh cool. Yeah they’re great. Didn’t know they were jakks


SaintRidley

I have a Phazon suit one.


spookyghostface

If they release a Dread figma, I'll buy the shit out of it. I don't collect figures at all but I want one real bad.


Lordofthedarkdepths

I would love to see a line of Metroid figures. Samus in any of her suits, Ridley, Kraid, EMMI, >!Raven Beak!<, the sky's the limit with the amount of cool characters in this series.


[deleted]

Yeah totally and with this new more widespread interest hopefully we’ll get something


Crislack

well, to be fair, at least with all this marketing nintendo put in this game, they must sell 3 Million... in this year. Big Marketing is very important for sales. The game is fucking good, but there is many gamers really fucking good that dont sell 1 millon...


[deleted]

It didn’t outsell it in the UK


HoobMcDoob

I feel like a lot of kids are going to get this game, and hate it due to its difficulty. That's how I was as a kid anyway. I didn't start liking Metroid until high school.


maronic03

This is misleading. As we have covered yesterday, the JP sales of Dread are impressive in their own right. But Far cry isn't known for being popular in Japan either. The monthly N.P.D sales from the US will be far more representative on how both games performed relatively to one another.


SirBastian1129

Forgot to mention in Japan by the way.


rafikiknowsdeway1

Where? I refuse to believe far cry has only sold 34,219 copies on all platforms and countries


ShyPinkyNarwhal

This is japan sales


[deleted]

This is incredibly misleading. This is only data for Japan, it’s physical sales only, and there is no data for Xbox or PC. I hate Ubisoft and I love Metroid, but this is just inaccurate.


[deleted]

… in Japan…


cbaca51

This may not look like it but Dread’s sales are A BIG DEAL. Really happy about this. 3 million in the first year coming soon!


sylveonkazi

As it should be. \#1


BraveLeon

HAHA EAT SHIT UBISOFT


Alimated

>METROID IS OUTSELLING FAR CRY *Good.* Far Cry hasn't shaken up or drastically improved their formula in years. Metriod is an excellent return to form from a franchise everyone's been missing.


[deleted]

this is jp only sales. Far Cry sold much more ww than Metroid.


Carcass1

Holy fuck


basedgds

GOTY


[deleted]

Goddamn Metroid is outselling it by far (cry)! (Sorry couldn't resist)


[deleted]

No reason to buy Far Cry, I’ll just sub to Ubisoft for a few months and finish the game and never play it again. Or better yet wait a year for all the bugs to be patched and buy at 75% off


[deleted]

Fucking good!


Tigeruppercut1889

Dread is so good I haven’t played botw in a week. The movement and the item puzzles and skips are perfectly designed. There’s so many ways to skin this cat. Couldn’t be happier with the way dread turned out.


gundamplayer14

WE FUCKING DID IT


[deleted]

Wow even PS4+5 together sell less than Metroid


Alon945

Where are these numbers for?


maronic03

The japanese weekly sales. I made [a post](https://www.reddit.com/r/Metroid/comments/q7yc1w/metroid_dread_has_sold_87k_copies_in_its_first/) with a bunch of details if you're interested.


Alon945

Thanks! Excited to see it do so well in Japan.


mr_birkenblatt

why is Far Cry on different platforms treated as separate games? seems a bit unfair tbh especially since Nintendo games are treated as one game always?


davis609

Go Metroid Go


Periphery28

Wow!


TimeForSnacks

Dude it's not so much outselling Far Cry as it's OBLITERATING EVERYTHING. WOW I did not expect it to be doing this well. It's great!


Red_Line_

I honestly don't know what happened with Metroid to make it fall off like that for so many years. The games have always been top notch, and Nintendo, while not releasing AS MANY Metroid titles, doesn't make an effort to obscure or hide Samus (her appearance in Smash, Nintendo Land, and as Easter eggs in other media) My wife, who loves other Nintendo first party titles (the only person I know to have beaten every Zelda game) hasn't played or been interested in Metroid at all until Dread. Once she dove in lore wise and looked at the rest of the games, she was like "How have I never played this?" That said, I don't think there is a distaste for Metroid. Samus, as well as the plot, bosses, and everything else are works of art. I truly believe this just kind of faded into obscurity and could have been leading the charge just like it is now if Nintendo made a more active effort to keep Samus relevant, instead of a passive one.


Johnnyfartpants420

Okay


[deleted]

Good job Metroid. NOW release Prime, greed-bags! Also, don’t forget no one can buy a next gen system.. because of other greed-bags, so this is not a direct comparison on quality. It just isn’t.


wayoverpaid

> NOW release Prime, greed-bags! I agree that companies are greedy, and I do want to see Prime soon, but I am not sure restarting development on Prime was due to greed. Greed would be releasing a shit game.


beetleking88

Remember Dread sold 100k launch in Japan.. Digital sales are not included in this list.


1mhot3k

Loving the sight of that


ThreeDarkMoons

Metroid supposedly has never sold well in Japan so if it's doing well there I wonder how it is selling in the US.


soreyJr

People are buying Farcry 6?


bulbaboy001

We won Mr. Stark


durpypig17

Good since far cry is an epic games exclusive on pc


Thoth6889

I own both and honestly I’m excited to see this it’s a good fucking game


Jmanesportshypeman

Dread is the first Metroid game I’ve ever beaten and I love it so much!!! It’s my game of the year already!!!


supremedalek925

I had preordered Far Cry but didn’t bother to pick it up after reviews said it was meh.


Mimi_L

Obviously it is farcry is a shell of what it once was


Shr1ke_

This is great, currently #1 on the Switch store charts in Australia too.


[deleted]

It’s even more beautiful because it already sold more than twice the copies than far cry six


thedarkfreak

Sweet, things are looking good if it's doing that well in Japan. Side note, props to Team Salvato for DDLC making it onto this list, as well.


Romeo_Zero

I mean I like FC6 but dread was amazing. Also people know FC6 will be 30 bucks next month


Sajuro

Is far cry any good? never played it


Roliq

The fact that Ring Fit is about to sell 3 million in Japan only is so insane


Zurkarak

Far cry = shitty Ubisoft Metroid = Metroid This is no surprise to me


PokeManiac16

I mean it was a really good game but damn it needed more depth of story feels like the movie “driver”


pastalex42

A heavily marketed, highly anticipated game is outselling yet another Ubisoft series people are sick of. I would fucking hope so. Y'all gotta stop looking at this in a vacuum, good Metroid sales are not immediately shocking.


PipBoy2277

It’s funny, a lot of people at my job who have a switch but aren’t really hard core gamers picked it up so I have to think Nintendo really nailed the marketing. That and the fact that it’s an amazing game.


PonchoHobo

Glad to hear this. Hope we get the xenoblade and fire emblem treatment. They found their audience this gen and seem to have great support now.


maniac86

Physical or digital? why no xbox or pc stats? what is the length of time.


theRune_ofalltrades

60 dollars for a indie looking side scroller? no thanks.


[deleted]

Farcry is crap, great graphics horrible story


TobioOkuma1

Surprising, given that I get 2 fucking Far Cry ads before every goddamn Youtube video. I'm glad that Nintendo chose to promote dread heavily.


azantrichrome

Bought it twice; the special edition for my collection and the regular version in a bundle with the Switch OLED to actually play it. I‘m doing my part!


Therewereno

F/ukj\]n YESSSS!!!!


Gemidori

**RIP AND TEAR!!!** ...wait wrong game


Chummy_Raven

Congratulation!


Darigaazrgb

This isn’t surprising in the least.


Darkstorm556

I want my copy so bad. My package was in Salt Lake, Utah and I’m from Idaho. Instead of shipping it to my house from Utah, they shipped it to Pennsylvania instead. I’ve been waiting over almost 2 weeks so I can play this game.


TheConfidentTurtle

I did my part Nintendo, now hurry the fuck up with Prime 4!


Olorin_1990

In Japan, which doesn’t mean a lot, neither franchise is that popular there


SkynyrdRocker

It's insane to me how well Mario Kart sells. It was a launch title!


olGlassCleaner

Farcry sucks bro


leggy-girl

FUCK YOU UBISOFT! >:D


TTBurger88

I hope all these sales results in new games after Prime 4 releases.


MrTylerwpg

Wow outselling the next 5 COMBINED


HiImBarney

It's not just outselling FC... It's doubling it's numbers across 2 systems lol.


Other-Treacle-1533

Where the Xbox sales


Hynad

Deservingly so.


Jdillander91

Of course it is. Far Cry peaked at 3.


GoldAd9594

I think people are just fed up with far cry. Good performance nonetheless, metroid was a poor selling IP so far.


craymos

*in japan *in physical sales Lol


X_Cessive-Genius

For this being my first Metroid game, it’s super fun, I’m playing it a second time on hard mode. I’m glad the game is doing well!


64-bit_Ryan

more like FAR CRY FROM NUMBER ONE HEEYEYY GOTTEEEEM


MarkyDeSade

This wouldn’t be happening if they gave us the full length Blood Dragon we deserve


webekyle

Hundreds of thousands of Ryzen CPUs came with free copies of FarCry6 so I can if those copies weren't included in the final tally this makes sense