The release of Pokémon Pokopia caught practically everyone by surprise at the same time. For fans, most never expected it would have become the highest reviewed game in the series on Metacritic, whilst for the publisher Nintendo the game sold so well that boxed version was in short supply for the huge demand it had. According to industry analyst Christopher Dring via Nielsen, the sales boom was particularly strong in the UK.
The Nintendo Switch 2 sold 154% more in March than it did in February, and it happened directly following the March 5 release of Pokémon Pokopia, which is exclusive to the system. This explosion in sales also means that over 50% of all gaming consoles sold in the UK so far this year are Nintendo ones. The exact split between Switch 2 and original Switch is unknown, but Switch 2 sales are exploding regardless. Dring adds an additional note worth considering that March was a five-week month, whereas February was four.
It’s the 30th anniversary of Pokémon, and so a system seller releasing so early in the year is a great sign of things to come both for the fans and for The Pokémon Company’s pockets. Within just its first weekend, Pokémon Pokopia had already sold 2.2 million copies, with over a million of these being sold in Japan. Now though, the game continues to stand incredibly strong with the data we have. In Japan, its third week sales dropped only 2% compared to its second week, an incredibly strong hold and a clear sign of continued high demand.
We’re looking forward to seeing what comes next for Pokémon Pokopia. With seasonal events like the recent More Spores Hoppip event, and the endless potential for additional DLC areas and Pokémon, it feels like the 30th anniversary of the iconic franchise is only just getting started. Please give us Starmie!
