Scarlet/Violet Sales Soar Despite Mixed Reviews

Pokémon Scarlet and Violet have made a significant impact since their release, quickly becoming some of the best-selling Pokémon games in history. According to Joe Merrick, the webmaster of Serebii.net, and reported by Eurogamer, the combined sales of Scarlet and Violet have surpassed 25 million copies. This achievement places them above every other Pokémon title except for the original Red/Green/Blue, which sold 31.4 million copies when it launched in 1996 on the Game Boy.

With sales totaling 26,790,000 units, Scarlet/Violet narrowly edges out Sword/Shield, which managed to sell 26,720,000 copies. Following closely behind are Gold/Silver and Diamond/Pearl, with respective sales figures of 23.7 million and 16.7 million units.

Despite their impressive sales numbers, Scarlet/Violet received a somewhat mixed reception upon launch. Critics noted technical issues, performance problems, and numerous bugs, leading to average or mixed reviews. IGN awarded the game a score of 6/10, 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 during an urban redevelopment project aimed at creating a harmonious space for both humans and Pokémon, anticipation for this title is high. Last October, a leak revealed undisclosed details about several upcoming Pokémon games, including Legends Z-A. In response, Nintendo has taken legal action by subpoenaing Discord to identify the user responsible for the "TeraLeak."