Pokémon Legends: Z-A is off to a blazing start. In just four tracked days of its first week on sale, the latest entry in the Pokémon Legends series has sold 5.8 million copies worldwide following its October 16, 2025 launch on Nintendo Switch and the new Switch 2. The Pokémon Company says roughly half of all play is happening on Switch 2, a strong early signal for the new hardware’s adoption among series fans.
That opening puts Z-A among the franchise’s elite debuts, ranking as the fifth-best first-week launch in Pokémon history. The current top four are:
– Pokémon Scarlet and Violet at 10 million copies in three days
– Pokémon Legends: Arceus at 6.5 million in its first week
– Pokémon Sword and Shield with 6 million over launch weekend
– Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl at 6 million in three days
Regional performance underscores the momentum. In Japan, Pokémon Legends: Z-A moved approximately 1.485 million units, with 872,552 on the original Switch and 615,905 on Switch 2. In the UK, the game debuted at No. 1 in the physical charts, and 51% of boxed sales were on Switch 2. That said, its UK launch was about 40% lower than Pokémon Legends: Arceus, released in early 2022.
Despite the commercial success, reception has been mixed. Critics have given the game a solid 79/100 on Metacritic, but user reviews tell a different story: a generally unfavorable 4.6/10 from more than 2,500 ratings. Player criticisms frequently cite underwhelming graphics, restrained exploration, and a flat representation of Lumiose City. The launch also saw a wave of negative user reviews, reflecting long-standing community frustration about perceived lack of innovation in the series.
There’s also chatter around the game’s financials. According to reports, Pokémon Legends: Z-A carried an estimated budget of about $13 million (roughly 2 billion yen) and would need to ship around 200,000 additional units to break even—an attainable milestone given its current trajectory.
As the second entry in the Legends subseries after Arceus, Z-A was always going to face high expectations. Early sales indicate huge demand across both generations of Nintendo hardware, while feedback suggests players are eager for bolder steps forward. If developer updates address the most common pain points, Pokémon Legends: Z-A could convert its blockbuster launch into lasting momentum.
