If anybody was worried about the financial success of Pokémon Legends: Arceus — and why would you be; Pokémon is the most successful franchise of all time — worry no longer, as the sales figures are coming in and it turns out that people (in this specific instance, Brits) love them some Pocket Monsters. Arceus had the fourth biggest launch in series history in the region, a huge achievement considering some might categorize it as a spinoff or a new subseries.
Massive launch for Pokemon Legend: Arceus in the UK. It is the FOURTH biggest Pokemon launch of all time, just ahead of Black & White and last year's Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl. Retail numbers only.
— Christopher Dring (@Chris_Dring) January 30, 2022
It achieves this landmark via retail sales alone, meaning that it could theoretically rank even higher with eShop sales, though it’s difficult to tell. The only three (er, six) games to best it — Sun and Moon, Sword and Shield, and Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire — were also available digitally, so they’re probably in similar situations regarding eShop boosts. Regardless, it looks like PLA is already a commercial success. It turns out that despite the constant online bitterness, people by and large like Pokémon. Who would’ve thought!
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Written by Amelia Fruzzetti
A writer and Nintendo fan based in Seattle, Washington. When not working for NinWire, she can be found eating pasta, writing stories, and wondering about when Mother 3 is finally going to get an official localization.
