Scarlet/Violet: Not Top-Rated, Yet Sales Surpass Only Red/Green/Blue

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 reported by Eurogamer, these two titles have collectively sold over 25 million copies. This impressive figure surpasses the sales of any other Pokémon game 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 units, Scarlet/Violet have narrowly edged out Pokémon Sword/Shield, which sold 26,720,000 copies, to claim the second spot on the list of top-selling Pokémon games. Rounding out the top five are Pokémon Gold/Silver with 23.7 million units sold and Pokémon Diamond/Pearl with 16.7 million units sold.

Despite their commercial success, Scarlet/Violet received a mixed reception upon launch, earning scores that rank them among the lowest-rated mainline entries in the Pokémon series. Fans and critics alike pointed out numerous technical issues, performance problems, and bugs. In IGN's Pokémon Scarlet and Violet review, the game was described as "Okay," receiving a 6/10 rating. The review praised the open-world gameplay as a promising direction for the franchise but criticized the game for feeling "deeply unfinished."

Looking ahead, Pokémon Legends: Z-A is slated for release later this year. Set in Lumiose City, the game will explore an urban redevelopment plan aimed at creating a harmonious environment for both people and Pokémon. However, excitement for the upcoming title was tempered by a leak last October that revealed unknown information about several Pokémon games, including Legends Z-A. In response, Nintendo has recently subpoenaed Discord to identify the individual responsible for the "TeraLeak."