Scarlet/Violet Sales Surpass All but Original Pokémon Games Despite Mixed Reviews

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

Scarlet/Violet have edged out Sword/Shield for the second spot, with sales reaching 26,790,000 compared to Sword/Shield's 26,720,000. Rounding out the top five are Gold/Silver and Diamond/Pearl, with sales of 23.7 million and 16.7 million units, respectively.

Despite their commercial success, Scarlet/Violet received a mixed reception at launch, earning scores that rank them among the lowest-rated mainline entries in the series. Fans criticized the games for technical issues, performance problems, and bugs. In IGN's Pokémon Scarlet and Violet review, the games were described as "Okay," receiving a 6/10 score. The review praised the open-world gameplay as a promising direction for the franchise but noted that the experience felt "deeply unfinished."

Looking ahead, Pokémon Legends: Z-A is slated for release later this year. Set in Lumiose City, the game will focus on an urban redevelopment plan designed to create a harmonious space for both people and Pokémon. Last October, a leak surfaced online containing 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."