Pokémon Is Making History On Nintendo Switch, Setting Gen 10 Up To Be The Biggest Ever

Summary Switch is the best-selling platform for the Pokémon series, with over 96m units, surpassing GB and GBA totals.

The Pokémon franchise on Switch outsells past handheld generations by at least 21m units.

Upcoming Pokémon games like Legends Z-A could push sales figures even higher.

The Pokémon franchise has had numerous titles appear on the Nintendo Switch, many of which are among the best-selling games the console has had in its seven-plus years of life. However, new information has revealed that the Switch's lifecycle has been the best period of the Pokémon series, as it has eclipsed all past generations by large margins, even ahead of Gen 10 and future games' releases.

The information comes from X (formerly Twitter) user Pierre485, who shares all manner of game sales data in their posts. Their latest post from May 15 highlighted how the combined sales of the Pokémon franchise on Nintendo Switch surpassed the sales of the series on previous consoles like Game Boy, Game Boy Color, Game Boy Advance, as well as the Nintendo DS and 3DS. ​​​​​

It was these handheld systems that held the previous seven generations of mainline titles. The chart highlights that, at present, the Switch's games outclass everything by at least 21 million. And with new games, like Pokémon's Gen 10 titles, on the horizon, those sales numbers should continue to rise.

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How High Can The Pokémon Series Go On The Switch?

Pokémon Gen 10 & Legends Z-A Could Add To The Sales

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Games that have been on the Nintendo Switch from the Pokémon franchise include Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, Sword & Shield, Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, Let's Go, Pikachu! and Eevee!, New Pokémon Snap, Pokken Tournament, Mystery Dungeon DX, and Pokémon Legends: Arceus. That doesn't include the various entries on the Nintendo Switch Online service, as those aren't factored into the sales charts. Pierre485 noted in a previous tweet that Scarlet and Violet is the fastest-selling Pokémon entry ever and will soon surpass the Switch sales that Sword and Shield has.

This might not be the end of the success of Pokémon on Switch, though. Earlier this year, The Pokémon Company confirmed that Pokémon Legends: Z-A was in the works, and it was implied that it would be coming to the Nintendo Switch. If true, and it holds the same quality as Legends: Arceus, it would stand to reason that it would push the Switch sales to over 100 million units sold.

The other thing to consider is how this will affect the output of games on the upcoming Nintendo Switch successor. Leaks have already put out that Gen 10 could arrive in 2026, and other leaks have pointed to there being three games from The Pokémon Company already in the works for Nintendo's next system. Depending on when the games arrive, it could attempt to mimic the Switch by having two mainline generations come out during the system's lifecycle. Plus, more Pokémon spin-offs are likely, given how well they've sold in recent years.

Source: Pierre485/X (Formerly Twitter)