Scarlet/Violet: High Sales Despite Mixed Reviews

Pokémon Scarlet and Violet have solidified their place as some of the best-selling Pokémon games of all time. According to Joe Merrick, the webmaster of Serebii.net, and reported by Eurogamer, these two games have sold over 25 million copies combined. This impressive figure surpasses all Pokémon games since the original Pokémon Red/Green/Blue, which sold 31.4 million copies upon its release on the Game Boy in 1996.

With a total of 26,790,000 sales, Scarlet/Violet narrowly outpace Sword/Shield, which sold 26,720,000 copies, securing the second spot in sales rankings. Gold/Silver and Diamond/Pearl complete the top five, with sales of 23.7 million and 16.7 million copies, respectively.

Despite their commercial success, Scarlet/Violet received a mixed reception at launch, earning mostly average scores. This makes them among the lowest-rated mainline entries in the Pokémon series, with fans citing technical issues, performance problems, and bugs. In IGN's Pokémon Scarlet and Violet review, the game was rated 6/10, with the review 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 the bustling Lumiose City. The city is undergoing an urban redevelopment plan aimed at creating a harmonious environment for both people and Pokémon. Last October, a leak containing undisclosed details about various Pokémon games, including Legends Z-A, surfaced online. In response, Nintendo has recently subpoenaed Discord to identify the individual behind the "TeraLeak."