Pokémon titles are always a hit, which is to be expected considering it’s the third best-selling video game franchise of all time, with more than 400 million titles sold across the board. That trend continued with Pokémon Scarlet and Violet.
According to GamesIndustry.biz, the Gen IX titles had the second-biggest launch in the UK of any title in franchise history—and that’s despite being plagued with issues from day one.
For reference, it sold more copies at launch in the UK than all previous iterations except for Pokémon Sun and Moon on the 3DS. It was also the biggest boxed game launch in the UK in 2022, beating FIFA 23 by four percent.
Growth from Knowledge, an AI-powered intelligence platform that analyzed the sales, reported Pokémon Scarlet and Violet generated more money during its launch week than Pokémon Sun and Moon due to its price being higher at £48 as opposed to £35.
So, technically, it was the highest-grossing Pokémon launch in the UK—at least, based on boxed retail data, since download figures are not available.
It sold 36 percent more copies than Pokémon Sword and Shield, 40 percent more than Pokémon Legends: Arceus, and 70 percent more than Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl.
Interestingly, Pokémon Violet accounted for 52 percent of sales compared to Pokémon Scarlet’s 42 percent, while the double pack that featured both amounted to the remaining six percent.
What that means is Pokémon Scarlet and Violet has been a resounding success so far, and it could go on to become one of the best-selling generations in the franchise’s history, and might even break some other records, if things continue.
Of course, that depends on whether the statistics in other countries are similar, and if the sales numbers continue at the current rate.
Still, things are panning out well for the Generation IX titles.
