Shovel Knight Hits 2 Million Games Sold, Finally

Shovel Knight is considered one of the best games of this decade, an indie darling that invokes tropes of the past while keeping modern convenience and gameplay in order to create something that can be enjoyed by new and old gamers alike. As a critical darling, it’s very little surprise this game has been successful… but you might be surprised to hear that despite the praise, the acclaim, the fact it’s available on just about every console imaginable, and the fact it was released four years ago… it actually hasn’t sold super well.

In fact, according to some new data showed off by the developer, Yacht Club, it only just now hit the 2 million mark. A damn good number for an indie developer, but… you’d kind of think it would be higher than that, considering.

Most copies were sold on Windows, accounting for 24.4 percent of total sales. The 3DS, however, is a close runner up, with 23.9 percent of units sold. It also sold well on the Wii U and Switch, which means that more than half of all copies sold were on Nintendo consoles, which… makes sense to me. Both Nintendo and Shovel Knight shamelessly latch onto nostalgia, so the two work together perfectly. It’s also sold the fastest on the Switch, meaning that if it keeps up some momentum they might hit a new sales milestone soon.

They also spoke a bit about where the game was most popular. Unsurprisingly, North America is where most copies have been sold, accounting for 67.6 percent of all players. Europe came in a distant second with 22.5 percent, while other areas were so small they didn’t even get labeled.

There are a lot more stats for you statisticians and Shovel Knight nerds out there, so I suggest you check out the blog post for more. As for us, though? Let’s just wish ol’ Shovel Knight a happy 2 million. You earned it, buddy.