GameStop Reveals The Most Pre-Ordered Games Following E3 2021

While E3 2021 may have been a little hit or miss, there were definitely some big games revealed during the event's four-day stretch. Now that E3 2021 has wrapped up, GameStop has revealed the 10 most pre-ordered games following the show. It probably won't surprise anyone to learn that Nintendo games comprise most of the top spots on the list.

In fact, Nintendo games take up the top five spots on the list. According to Nintendo Everything, in the first place is Metroid Dread, which enjoyed a surprise reveal to kick-off Nintendo's E3 2021 Direct. It's little surprise that Metroid Dread is GameStop's most pre-ordered game following E3 because Metroid fans have been starved for content in recent years.

Following Metroid Dread is The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD, Mario Golf: Super Rush, Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, and Mario Party Superstars to round out the top five. Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy takes up the sixth spot, which is followed by Far Cry 6 and, somewhat surprisingly, Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Alliance. It looks like the Dark Alliance nostalgia is running strong among GameStop customers because Dark Alliance managed to make the list despite being available on Xbox Game Pass for PC and Xbox from launch day. Have a look at the full list below:

1. Metroid Dread – releasing 10/8/21

2. The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD – releasing 7/16/21

3. Mario Golf: Super Rush – releasing 6/25/21

4. Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl – releasing 11/19/21

5. Mario Party Superstars – releasing 10/29/21

6. Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy – releasing 10/26/21

7. Far Cry 6 – releasing 10/7/21

8. Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Alliance – releasing 6/22/21

9. Madden NFL 22 – releasing 8/20/21

10. Pokémon Legends: Arceus – releasing 1/28/22

Interestingly enough, the first-party exclusives Microsoft – Forza Horizon 5, Starfield, or Redfall, to name a few – aren't on the list, but we can probably chalk that up to the fact that those games will be available on Xbox Game Pass. GameStop did list Halo Infinite as an honorable mention, so it seems that the Halo franchise can still pull in pre-orders despite the apprehension about the Infinite's direction that we saw last year.

So, there you have it: if there was a big winner at E3 2021 in terms of pre-orders, it seems to be Nintendo. Obviously, pre-orders don't tell the whole story – and they definitely aren't an indication that a game will be good – but if you're looking for the titles that gamers are excited about, this list is a good place to start.