Pokémon Scarlet & Violet Becomes Second-Best-Selling Pokémon Game of All Time

Pokémon Scarlet & Violet has now become the second-best-selling game in the franchise’s nearly 30-year history, reaching an impressive 26.79 million units sold worldwide, according to new data shared by Serebii.

This milestone cements the ninth-generation titles as a landmark moment for the Pokémon series. Not only did Scarlet & Violet introduce the franchise’s first fully open-world experience, but it also managed to surpass the sales of Sword & Shield, the previous generation on Nintendo Switch.

The only titles to have sold more remain the original Pokémon Red & Blue, which launched the franchise into global stardom in the late 1990s.

Despite performance issues and bugs at launch, Scarlet & Violet resonated strongly with fans thanks to its freedom-focused gameplay, fresh setting in the Paldea region, and a bold step away from the linear design of previous games.

As the Scarlet & Violet era winds down, attention now turns to what’s next. While Generation 10 has yet to be announced, The Pokémon Company recently revealed a new spin-off set for release later this year: Pokémon Legends: Z-A.

Set in Lumiose City, this upcoming title will bring back the much-loved Mega Evolution mechanic, which originally debuted in Pokémon X & Y. Reports suggest this revival won’t be limited to Z-A alone—it’s expected to impact multiple branches of the Pokémon universe, including:

• Pokémon Go

• The Pokémon TCG Pocket mobile app

• The physical trading card game, which has already confirmed Mega Pokémon will feature in future card sets

With 2026 marking Pokémon’s 30th anniversary, fans and analysts alike are expecting a major celebration. Speculation is already building around potential Gen 10 games, special edition trading cards, and even remakes of earlier-generation titles.