Scarlet/Violet Sales Surpass All but Original Pokémon Games

Pokémon Scarlet and Violet have emerged as some of the best-selling Pokémon games of all time. According to Joe Merrick, the webmaster of Serebii.net, and reported by Eurogamer, these two titles have surpassed 25 million units sold. This impressive figure places them just behind the original Pokémon Red/Green/Blue, which sold 31.4 million copies upon its release in 1996 for the Game Boy.

With a total of 26,790,000 sales, Scarlet and Violet have narrowly edged out Pokémon Sword/Shield, which sold 26,720,000 copies, securing the second spot in the franchise's sales rankings. Rounding out the top five are Pokémon Gold/Silver with 23.7 million units sold and Pokémon Diamond/Pearl with 16.7 million units.

Despite their commercial success, Pokémon Scarlet and Violet received a mixed reception upon launch, earning scores that rank them among the lowest-reviewed mainline entries in the series. Fans voiced concerns over technical issues, performance problems, and various bugs. In IGN's Pokémon Scarlet and Violet review, the game was rated 6/10, with the review stating, "The open-world gameplay of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet is a brilliant direction for the future of the franchise, but this promising shift is sabotaged by the numerous ways in which Scarlet and Violet feel deeply unfinished."

Looking ahead, Pokémon Legends: Z-A is slated for release later this year. Set in Lumiose City, the game will feature an urban redevelopment plan aiming to create a harmonious environment for both people and Pokémon. Last October, a leak surfaced online sharing undisclosed details about several Pokémon games, including Legends Z-A. In response, Nintendo has recently subpoenaed Discord to identify the individual responsible for the "TeraLeak."