Pokémon Fire Red/Leaf Green Dominates Switch eShop Sales Despite Pokopia's Success

Pokémon Pokopia had a successful launch on Nintendo Switch 2, selling 2.2 million copies in its opening weekend and 1 million in Japan within just four days, despite reported physical supply constraints. However, it's noteworthy that Pokémon Fire Red / Leaf Green, digitally available on the Switch eShop since February 27th, continues to top the bestseller charts for Nintendo consoles. This suggests it's an ideal time to revisit the post-game content of the Sevii Islands.

The immense popularity of Pokémon Pokopia even led Amazon to absurdly increase its physical copy price by $10. Nintendo's shareholders also reacted positively, boosting the company's stock value. It's crucial to remember that Pokopia is exclusive to the Switch 2, which has a user base of 17.37 million, significantly smaller than the original Switch's 155.37 million.

Pokémon Pokopia has already surpassed the sales of other Switch 2 titles like Kirby Air Riders (1.76 million) and Metroid Prime 4: Beyond (less than 1 million). While Pokémon Legends: Z-A (a mainline title) has sold 3.89 million on Switch 2 (and is also available on the original Switch), Pokopia is set to become one of the best-selling Pokémon spin-offs of all time. Currently, the classic Pokémon Stadium for N64 holds this title with 5.4 million copies, and the combined sales of Pokémon Mystery Dungeon Red/Blue amount to 5.8 million (though across different cartridge formats).

Despite the success of new releases, the impact of Pokémon Fire Red / Leaf Green (22-year-old GBA remakes) is undeniable. Their availability for $20 USD on Switch, despite initially causing some controversy, demonstrates the enduring quality of Game Freak's 2D games. Although their re-release was part of the 30th-anniversary celebration, The Pokémon Company has not committed to bringing back other Game Boy Advance and Nintendo DS versions. This doesn't deter the public, who patiently await announcements for titles like Ruby/Sapphire/Emerald, HeartGold/SoulSilver, and Black/White/Black 2/White 2.