WhilePokemon Legends: Arceusis doing really well amongst fans only a week after its launch,Pokemon Sword & Shieldare still doing very well in their own right. In fact, the level of success that these games are experiencing may surprise somePokemonfans.
Recent financial data from Nintendo has revealed the lifetime sales of all thePokemongames in the entire franchise. Intriguingly, this data shows that 2019’sPokemon Sword & Shieldare now the second-best selling games in the history of the series.
RELATED:Pokemon Legends: Arceus is Already a Massive Sales Success
In the data report, Nintendo listsPokemon Sword & Shieldas having sold a total of 23.9 million copies. Not only are these two the second-best-selling games in the series, but they are the fifth best-selling games for the Nintendo Switch on top of that.Pokemon Sword & Shieldhave sold 200,000 more copies thanPokemon Gold & Silver, puttingGold & Silverin third at 23.7 million copies. The best-selling title in the series isPokemon Red/Green/Blueat 31.38 million copies, almost eight million more copies thanSword & Shield.
At launch,Pokemon Sword & Shieldwere swamped in controversy. Controversy began when development studio Game Freak decided to cut a number of Pokemon fromSword & Shield,including iconic ones such as Bulbasaur and Squirtle. Not only were 144 Pokemon cut from theSword & Shield, but Game Freak also cut a number of Pokemon moves, some of which were staple attacks that dated back all the way to Gen 1. Even with disappointing animations as well as being the shortest games in the series,Sword & Shieldhave managed to become the second-best selling games in the entire series.
GivenPokemon Sword & Shield’s poor reception and controversies, players may be surprised by these newly revealed statistics. However, Game Freak did what the studio could to improve the game and please the player-base regardless of how gamers' perceived these two games at launch, something that seemingly paid off.
To other players, this news might not be surprising at all considering that the series is known for having high sales figures. In fact, last year,Pokemon Sword & Shieldsold 18.22 million copies, with DLC also arriving for those titles. The continual support from Game Freak in the form of expansions has helped keep the game afloat, with new players flooding in to giveSword & Shielda try. AlthoughPokemon Legends: Arceusis performing well, there’s a chance thatPokemon Sword & Shieldwill also continue to sell, maintaining its position near the top of the series' sales charts.
