Last week, we were treated to an updated look at the Nintendo Switch’s top ten best-selling games. Thanks to that list, we learned that Pokémon Sword and Shield – the latest games in the Pokémon franchise – now stand at an impressive 17.37 million sales between them.
The number probably sounds pretty high on its own, but how do these sales actually stack up against Pokémon’s other main series games? That’s what we’re here to find out.
Below, we’ve gathered data to list each core series Pokémon game (not including third versions, sequels or remakes) to see just how well Sword and Shield are doing. For newer titles, we have 100% accurate data from Nintendo itself, correct as of March 2020. Older titles’ sales are a little more tricky to pin down with complete certaincy – especially Pokémon Red and Blue.
As you can see, Sword and Shield are already half way up the table, already outselling the lifetime totals achieved by the likes of Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire and Pokémon X and Y. It’s safe to assume they’ll soon pass Pokémon Diamond and Pearl, too, although the Game Boy classics will take some beating.
Further Reading:
Any surprises in that list? Which Pokémon games have you bought over the years? Let us know with a comment below.