Pokémon Legends: Z-A has kicked off with one of the strongest launches in the franchise’s history. Released on October 16, 2025 for both Nintendo Switch and the new Nintendo Switch 2, the game sold nearly 5.8 million copies worldwide during its first week, with about half of those sales coming from the newer system.

The debut ranks among the top five first-week launches for any Pokémon title to date, though it comes in slightly below Pokémon Legends: Arceus, which sold around 6.5 million units in the same timeframe. The results highlight the ongoing strength of the brand and the growing demand for Nintendo’s latest console.

In the United States, Z-A recorded the biggest physical retail launch for a new game since The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom in 2023, showing that boxed copies still matter to Nintendo players. Meanwhile, in Europe, sales were a bit more modest, marking the smallest Pokémon launch in the region since Pokémon Let’s Go! Pikachu and Eevee in 2018. Analysts point to slower hardware adoption in some markets and competition from other fall releases as possible factors.

Despite those regional differences, the numbers still represent an overwhelming success for Game Freak and The Pokémon Company. Industry analysts estimate that the game’s development budget was roughly $13 million, meaning it likely turned a profit within days of release.

The Switch 2 version has been praised for its smoother visuals and improved performance, while some players on the original Switch reported frame rate drops and longer load times. Still, reviews have been generally positive, noting that the open-world structure and new mechanics expand on the formula that made Legends: Arceus a hit in 2022.

Pokémon Legends: Z-A’s performance shows that the franchise remains one of the most reliable forces in gaming. Its early sales cement it as a major success story for Nintendo’s new hardware generation and a clear sign that Pokémon is still a global phenomenon two decades after its debut.