Pokémon Scarlet and Violet have achieved remarkable commercial success, becoming some of the best-selling Pokémon games to date. According to Joe Merrick, the webmaster of Serebii.net, and reported by Eurogamer, these two titles have collectively sold over 25 million copies. This figure surpasses the sales of any Pokémon game since the iconic Pokémon Red/Green/Blue, which sold 31.4 million copies upon its release in 1996 for the Game Boy.
With 26,790,000 units sold, Scarlet/Violet narrowly outpaces Pokémon Sword/Shield, which has sold 26,720,000 copies, securing the second spot in the franchise's sales rankings. Completing the top five are Pokémon Gold/Silver with 23.7 million units sold and Pokémon Diamond/Pearl with 16.7 million units.
Despite their commercial triumph, Scarlet/Violet received a mixed reception upon launch, earning primarily average or mixed reviews. This makes them among the lowest-rated mainline entries in the Pokémon series. Fans and critics alike have pointed out numerous technical issues, performance problems, and bugs. In IGN's Pokémon Scarlet and Violet review, the game was rated a 6/10, with the comment: "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 amid an urban redevelopment plan designed to create a harmonious environment for both people and Pokémon. However, excitement for the game was tempered by a leak last October that revealed undisclosed details about several Pokémon titles, including Legends Z-A. In response, Nintendo has recently subpoenaed Discord to identify the individual responsible for the "TeraLeak."
