It was to be expected, Pokemon Scarlet and Purple was a hit, but we didn’t expect it to start so strong. Nintendo and The Pokemon Compagny can rub their hands because the sales in just three days are phenomenal. God of War Ragnarok and its 5 million copies sold can get dressed.
A record for the Switch, for Nintendo, but also for a console exclusive
Despite the criticisms and the deluge of bugs and glitches on the web showing the disastrous technical aspect of the game, Pokemon Scarlet and Purple smash all records with 10 million copies sold in just three days. We are not going to cut corners, this is an exceptional commercial performance in the industry sincethis is the best launch for a Nintendo Switch game, the best launch for a Pokémon game, the best launch for a Nintendo game at all, and finally the biggest launch for a console exclusive (all platforms combined).
This obviously includes both physical and digital copies of both releases. In Japan alone, Pokemon Scarlet and Purple sold 4 million copies. To see what a feat it is, it goes beyond that of Splatoon 3 and its canon launch of 3.45 million copies in the same time frame.
Nintendo had already indicated that these were the most pre-ordered Pokémon opuses, but today we see that the feat is total. And yet the critics are not always kind to him even if a large majority of players agree that he is full of good ideas and that it is a very good experience apart from the technical problems that are still very important. Once again, the license proves that the leniency of the fans and its status as a cult franchise is stronger than anything. We can still put this performance on the account of its passage in the open world. A first for the series even if Pokemon Legends Arceus laid the first foundations.
Some will find it unfair that these titles do better than one God of War Ragnarok and its 5 million copies sold in one week (itself being a record launch for a PlayStation exclusive). Pokémon remains a behemoth in the field of entertainment and not just in the field of video games, which makes this success a little bitter as we know that The Pokemon Compagny could put the means (and especially take the time) to do better. Do not hesitate to consult our test to find out more about its qualities and its defects.
We have also released many guides for Pokemon Scarlet and Purple, we refer you to our complete guide.