Pokémon Reaches Highest Sales For Physical Software Since 2000

Pokémon is a flagship game for the Nintendo consoles. The franchise is present everywhere nowadays. From TV shows to movies, Pokémon has made it to every form of media. But, games are still its most-popular expression. We have had a Pokémon game almost every year since 1996. The games have become a staple of pop culture. Everyone has played a Pokémon game sometime in their life as the series is universal. The game has broken numerous records during its run. Recently, it reached another milestone.

Physical software sales of the Pokémon franchise reached its highest annual total since the year 2000 according to Mat Piscatella. Pokémon Brilliant Diamond/Shining Pearl was the 3rd best-selling title of December 2021 in the US. The game also ranked number 1 on Nintendo platforms in December 2021. So, Pokémon very predictably ruled Nintendo in 2021. This shouldn’t come as a surprise since the game had the second biggest Switch launch in Japan.

US NPD SW – Pokémon Brilliant Diamond/Shining Pearl was the 3rd best-selling title of December 2021, ranking 1st on Nintendo platforms for both Dec as well as 2021. 2021 dollar sales of Pokémon franchise physical software reached its highest annual total since the year 2000.

— Mat Piscatella (@MatPiscatella) January 18, 2022

Benji-Sales also confirmed this information. Pokémon Brilliant Diamond/Shining Pearl beat Battlefield 2042 and Madden 22 for the number 3 spot in December. Only Call Of Duty Vanguard and Halo Infinite eclipsed the game. The Switch was also the best-selling console of the month. So, the Nintendo products dominated the month. 

December NPD Results

Hardware Rankings in Units
1. Switch
2. Xbox Series
3. PlayStation 5
(Switch and PS5 basically tied for revenue)

Software Top 5
1. Call of Duty Vanguard
2. Halo Infinite
3. Pokémon BD and SP
4. Madden 22
5. Battlefield 2042
(Halo #1 Selling on Xbox and PC) pic.twitter.com/EUu5cDSeJM

— Benji-Sales (@BenjiSales) January 18, 2022

This is no small feat because the game outsold huge titles like Battlefield and Madden for this spot. It indicates how Pokémon still competes well with large studio titles. Beating such popular titles isn’t easy at all and it tells us how big the franchise truly is.

The franchise has been around for a long time, so it’s easy to get tired of the same thing. But, the creativity of the artists keeps them fresh. The game has even evolved for a newer generation and that keeps it going. It’s a credit to the Pokémon company for their games selling like this in 2021. They have kept up with the competition and made Pokémon even better.

The Pokémon franchise is also starting 2022 with a bang. Pokémon Legends: Arceus, the prequel to Diamond and Shining Pearl, is coming out on January 28. The action-based RPG will roll out worldwide and start the new year for Nintendo. 

With more movies and anime coming out, the company is heading in the right direction. This milestone confirms that Pokémon’s future is brighter than its past. And we can’t wait to see what the franchise has to offer.