Pokémon Scarlet and Violet have achieved a significant milestone, becoming the third Pokémon games to surpass 25 million in sales. Despite mixed reviews due to performance issues and bugs, these ninth-generation titles have captured the hearts of Pokémon enthusiasts worldwide, thanks to their open-world RPG mechanics and the freedom to tackle Gym Battles in any order.
According to the latest sales data from Nintendo, as of June 30, 2024, Pokémon Scarlet and Violet have collectively sold 25.29 million units. While they have yet to surpass the sales of Sword and Shield, which hold a lead at 26.35 million units, the gap is narrowing. However, neither the new releases nor any of the recent titles have managed to outpace the legendary original games, Pokémon Red, Blue, and Green, which have achieved over 31 million in sales.
Joe Merrick, webmaster of the Pokémon news site Serebii, reports that Scarlet and Violet have reached this 25 million sales milestone faster than any previous Pokémon game. It took Scarlet and Violet just one year and eight months to hit this mark, compared to Sword and Shield’s nearly three years. Sword and Shield reached 21.85 million units after approximately one year and seven months.
The rapid sales pace of Scarlet and Violet suggests that they might eventually catch up with, or even surpass, Sword and Shield’s sales. Only time will tell if the Paldea-region adventures will ultimately outperform their Galar-region counterparts.