Scarlet/Violet Sales Soar 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 collectively sold over 25 million copies. This impressive figure surpasses all other Pokémon games since the original Pokémon Red/Green/Blue, which sold 31.4 million copies upon its release in 1996 for the Game Boy.

With sales reaching 26,790,000, Scarlet and Violet have narrowly outpaced Pokémon Sword/Shield, which sold 26,720,000 copies, securing the second spot in the franchise's sales rankings. The top five is rounded out by Pokémon Gold/Silver with 23.7 million copies sold and Pokémon Diamond/Pearl with 16.7 million copies.

Despite their commercial success, Scarlet and Violet received a mixed reception at launch, earning primarily average or mixed reviews. This makes them among the lowest-rated mainline entries in the series, with fans pointing out various technical issues, performance problems, and bugs. In IGN's Pokémon Scarlet and Violet review, the game was rated 6/10, described as "Okay," with the critique 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."

Pokémon Legends: Z-A is scheduled for release later this year. Set in Lumiose City, the game features an urban redevelopment plan aimed at creating a harmonious environment for both humans and Pokémon. Last October, a leak surfaced online containing undisclosed details about various Pokémon games, including Legends Z-A. In response, Nintendo has recently subpoenaed Discord to identify the individual responsible for the "TeraLeak."