Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl are setting records, as they are now the second biggest Switch physical launch in Japan.
Together the two versions have managed to sell 1.39m copies in the first three days, thanks to a report from Famitsu. The sales figure only includes retail versions, the double pack, and download card purchases. Digital downloads from the eShop aren’t included, so the figure is likely even higher.
For comparison, Animal Crossing: New Horizons holds the record of most physical sales at 1.88m. And Diamond and Pearl have managed to beat Sword and Shield, which managed 1.36m units in the same time frame.
Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl setting records is quite impressive. Especially considering Sword and Shield are on the way to being the second biggest Pokémon games of all time. While a lot of people do love Diamond and Pearl, a lot of fans did have some strong criticisms of the original games.
For one, health took an incredibly long time to deplete in the original. There also weren’t many fire types, and at points many found the game to be unbalanced. They came at a time when interest in the series was starting to wane. So while the remakes don’t appear to be perfect, it’s great to see they’re getting a bit more love.
It’s also important to understand that a majority of people playing the games will be casual fans or children. Even if you don’t like them, and don’t understand why they’re selling well, the main audience isn’t hardcore.
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Featured Image Credit: The Pokémon Company/ Nintendo