Keep in mind that’s all relative to the Gamecube, Air Ride was one of the platform’s more successful titles. But more importantly it also went on to become a cult hit long after its release, one that Kirby fans have been clamoring for a sequel to for a very long time.
The fact that Masahiro Sakurai himself is directing the sequel, after not having been involved with Kirby since the original Air Ride, is kind of a big deal. And I fully expect marketing to play up his star power and promote the fact that this is A Masahiro Sakurai Game. Anything Sakurai’s name is attached to is automatically going to be big.
There’s a reason Nintendo saved this one for the end of the Direct with a cinematic teaser trailer. We’ll see more closer to release, but there is no doubt that they are going to market this game very hard as a flagship title, much more heavily than they marketed the original.
You’re right that for the GameCube, that’s puts it as the 25th best selling game, but it had 1/5th the sales of Double Dash (while being released in the opposite ordering, Kirby in July and Double Dash in November).
While I agree that Sakurai directing it is a big deal for some, I don’t think the general consumer cares. I suspect that what will make it sell is that there is little competition from the switch 2 perspective.
I would argue that what counts as a “big game” really just comes down to how much Nintendo invests in it. In terms of budget, Sakurai gets a blank check to do whatever he wants, this will be a much bigger game than the original. In terms of marketing, this was a Direct-closer. Nintendo will make consumers care about this game.
Keep in mind that’s all relative to the Gamecube, Air Ride was one of the platform’s more successful titles. But more importantly it also went on to become a cult hit long after its release, one that Kirby fans have been clamoring for a sequel to for a very long time.
The fact that Masahiro Sakurai himself is directing the sequel, after not having been involved with Kirby since the original Air Ride, is kind of a big deal. And I fully expect marketing to play up his star power and promote the fact that this is A Masahiro Sakurai Game. Anything Sakurai’s name is attached to is automatically going to be big.
There’s a reason Nintendo saved this one for the end of the Direct with a cinematic teaser trailer. We’ll see more closer to release, but there is no doubt that they are going to market this game very hard as a flagship title, much more heavily than they marketed the original.
You’re right that for the GameCube, that’s puts it as the 25th best selling game, but it had 1/5th the sales of Double Dash (while being released in the opposite ordering, Kirby in July and Double Dash in November).
While I agree that Sakurai directing it is a big deal for some, I don’t think the general consumer cares. I suspect that what will make it sell is that there is little competition from the switch 2 perspective.
But time will tell in this case.
I would argue that what counts as a “big game” really just comes down to how much Nintendo invests in it. In terms of budget, Sakurai gets a blank check to do whatever he wants, this will be a much bigger game than the original. In terms of marketing, this was a Direct-closer. Nintendo will make consumers care about this game.
That’s fair, I do think there are easier and harder games to hype though.