Today marks the release of Nintendo’s quarterly report, in which they update the lifetime sales of some of their biggest Nintendo Switch games. The most noteworthy of today’s reveals comes in the update to Pokémon Scarlet and Violet‘s sales figures, which have sold a little under 27 million units. They have overtaken Pokémon Sword and Shield, and have become the second best-selling Pokémon games ever, sitting only behind the original Pokémon Red and Blue (and Green in Japan) which sold 32.38 million units.
Pokémon has always been a massive seller, with the franchise itself being recognized as the biggest media franchise of all time, in terms of dollar sales. It’s enormous, so we’re not surprised to see the latest game leapfrog over all the others to become the second best-selling ever, especially with the ‘Switch effect’ at play, the phenomenon that leads Switch releases of Nintendo franchises to perform better than most other of the franchise releases on other systems. The unique approach to gameplay that Scarlet and Violet offers to the other titles also sets it apart.
Despite how gigantic their sales are, Pokémon Scarlet and Violet still fail to crack the top five best-selling Nintendo Switch games. As of today’s update, the top five in ascending order are:
- Super Mario Odyssey – 29.28 million units sold
- The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild – 32.81 million units sold
- Super Smash Bros. Ultimate – 36.24 million units sold
- Animal Crossing: New Horizons – 47.82 million units sold
- Mario Kart 8 Deluxe – 68.20 million units sold
What do you think of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet‘s massive sales performance, and do you think they can eventually overtake the original games? Let us know your thoughts in the comments down below, and keep your eyes on GameLuster for more gaming news and Nintendo coverage.
