Sword & Shield Becomes Second Best-Selling Pokémon Game Of All Time

Open the bubbly, Game Freak!

Nooo not my beloved Gold and Silver! How dare Sword and Shield think they can match the magic of Pokémon in 2000. They may have been grindy, but the sheer number of things they added was crazy at the time

I have fond memories of playing Pokemon Blue on the Game Boy Color as a kid. Ngl, I fell for the nostalgia hype. Of all the games I bought I probably regret buying Pokemon Sword the most. It was mediocre at best.

@gloom No it won't.

Imagine how much it would have sold if it hadn't been so hated by Pokemon fans. ... But then I guess I could say that about every Pokemon game.

This is kind of sad - low effort is getting rewarded here. Might set a precedent for future titles.

More proof things don't need to actually be very good to succeed anymore.

Not so hated as people say here. I liked the games but the best memories of any Pokemon game would be Blue, Yellow or Silver.

Nice! I enjoyed sword and shield. Imagine the salt if it became the number one seller in the franchise? Haha.

Mainline title on a system that sold more than any other Nintendo home console and still growing.

Makes you wonder how a mainline game would have performed on the Wii......

@Mauzuri I heard that was because people complained about the adults being useless while the main protagonist who’s a kid ends up stopping the villain.

@Angelic_Lapras_King
Not as much since the Wii isn't as successful as the Switch.

Such a whiplash seeing people happy happy about Arceus' success then clicking on this. 😂

Very undeserved too. I guess this only proves to Game Freak they don't have to even try anymore to make millions.

How disappointing. Hopefully it doesn't pass red and blue.

I think these figures are completely disingenuous. Gen I will be tough to beat, because as far as I am concerned, Yellow should be lumped in with Red/Blue, just as Crystal should be with Gold/Silver and so on (which means that Sword/Shield still has its work cut out for it), with the only exception being the Gen V games as they had sequels as opposed to mere revisions.

There is also the fact that Sword/Shield’s sales figures include the revised physical release with the expansion pass on the cartridge, which essentially fulfils the role that a “third version” otherwise would have (that’s four bloody sales from me alone, fifth if you count the extra copy of Shield I gifted my sister).

Sword/Shield still needs to beat Diamond/Pearl/Platinum and Sun/Moon/Ultra Sun/Ultra Moon before scaling Mt. Silver.

Also, how gross that BD/SP beat HG/SS’s lifetime sales in just three months. The latter being complete on cartridge and with a cool accessory included for less than the asking price of BD/SP. i suspect that rampant piracy of DS software likely contributed to this, but still...

Boo freaking hoo to pretty much the majority of this comment section lol

What happened to the boycott?

@moodycat Or maybe people just have different taste to you or came in the series at different times without nostalgia goggles. As my first Pokemon game (didn't have an original GameBoy so never really got into it) I love Sword/Shield. The old games feel dated to me and less immersive.

@westman98 Took the Switch nearly 5 years to catch up to it.

I love the smell of copium in the morning!

Everybody snapping out of their "Legends: Arceus" reverie just long enough to spout the usual SwSh-hater clichés (Sales don't equal quality! Bad message to GameFreak! Laziness rewarded!)

Sorry (not sorry) guys: Sword and Shield sold like hotcakes, after all the pre-orders (And reviews) went out as well, so i guess... people liked them?

And that's fine, not everybody likes the same things, PL:A seems like a pain in the neck to me, but you seem to like it, go you! Just leave out the SwSh-bashing out next time.

Nice I liked the games, hopefully they integrate more Arceus mechanics in Gen 9.
It was about time G/S got dethroned.

I really enjoyed (and still do in fact) Pokemon Sword/Shield.
Amazing games, no matter the nay-sayers say.

It was the first Pokemon game I played for as long as I did.

@Angelic_Lapras_King
I'm not talking about lifetime hardware sales.
(Of course it was going to take years for Switch to catch up to Wii - you don't casually reach 100 million units sold at the snap of a finger.)

Switch hardware and software sales are stronger and (more importantly) far more consistent than that of Wii during its heyday.

I sometimes wonder if Pokémon fans ever played different RPGs. Sword and Shield aren't exactly bad, but if you compare them to games from the same generation in the genre I certainly prefer their competitors.
Since Pokémon is the biggest multimedia franchise of the world this is likely the case for a large group.

If you compare a game like Dragon Quest XI and Pokémon it is night and day.

I am fairly liking Legends Arceus so far. Something I would say Pokémon needed to evolve, but it certainly could have been longer in the oven for some departments. I hope they will continue building from it in their next titles.

Great, let’s reward laziness and mediocrity. Playing Pokémon Go at home was more fun than playing Sw/Sh

lmao

Considering the very vocal freakout by online fans before the games came out, it'll never stop being funny to me how well this generation sold.

The salt here is lovely, honestly its pretty special seeing grown adults on here being bitter that a PM game sold well and trying to act like its an objective fact they're bad games. My opinion on Shield? A weaker entry sure but even a weaker PM game is still a lot of fun and a good time, PM even at its worst is still an 8/10 game so that's what i hover around for it.

@MajorTom true... but you know what "competitors" lack? Pokemon lol. I don't even think Pokemon should be lined up with RPGs/JRPgs, it feels like they're totally different games. It's been 25 years, if Pokemon games are so bad, how come we haven't seen anything remotely resembling an actual alternative?

Pokemon fans like terrible games confirmed

@twicesmt I would say that there are comparable tamer series, like Dragon Quest Monsters, Monster Hunter Stories, Digimon, Shin Megami Tensei and a handful of indies. Those games do not have an as big franchise with merchandise, animated series, card games etc. backing it. But there certainly are alternatives.

This goes back to my previous point, most Pokémon fans likely don't know about the alternatives or do know but have not played them.

I did enjoy Sword and Shield but there's a lot that could've been improved on. Will be interesting to see what the next mainline entry looks like after Arceus.

Absolutely not deserved, one of the most lackluster games in the franchise. Imo even Red/Blue have more to offer than SwSh
I hope Legends Arceus somehow manages to beat that number cause it deserves that spot more than SwSh

@MajorTom I don't think it's that. The traditional JRPG had basically peaked in 1997 with Final Fantasy VII. Those demon/monster collecting games you listed follow the traditional JRPG structure very closely even if they contain some similarities to Pokemon.

They aren't the alternative to Pokemon, Pokemon is the alternative to the traditional RPG. The likes of Pokemon, Ring Fit, Paper Mario are non-standard RPGs that are performing extremely well while the traditional JRPGs had dropped below their late 90's 2000's peak.

Even an indie like Undertale is leaving many long-running traditional ones in the dust.

If Pokemon didn't exist the players of Pokemon wouldn't be the audience for traditional RPGs, these other games would still be selling what they are now.

Many of Pokemon's players will value different things to what the traditional RPG offers, and Pokemon is the only one catering to them, so why wouldn't they have that audience?

@MysticX Yeah when Sw/Sh had reached 16million in like 3 months from launch. I knew it had a pretty good shot at beating Gold/Silver but it's funny that the cope changed from pre-release "it's going to flop look at that tree. #Dexit" to "meh it might have sold well now, but people will stop buying it because it's reputation's bad" to "It doesn't deserve its sales".

Considering it sold 1.2million last quarter even with BD/SP out and Furukawa has said the Switch is still in the middle of its lifespan there's enough chance for Sw/Sh to outsell Red/Green/Blue by the end of 2024 and I just know people are going to pull out something even more ridiculous when it reaches that milestone.

@MajorTom I haven’t played any Pokémon games but Dragon Quest and Pokémon are far different games from what I can tell. One is an adventure game and the other is a collectathon. One is single player while the other is more geared more toward multiplayer. Not sure if it is s fair comparison.

@MajorTom I dunno, I’ve played SMT V and while I thought it was amazing the first two zones I just lost all interest in it. MH stories on the other hand I love both entries and really dug into the second one but for me there was nothing left to do in it after I got the two builds I wanted complete. Pokémon offers a lot of postgame activities which I think is what the difference is and always keeps me hooked. Myself for example I’m a shiny hunter and that is the thing I enjoy most about the series. Compared to mh stories 2 which was amazing imo I only put about 72 hours into it vs the 400+ I put into Pokémon shield 🤷‍♂️

@FishyS That’s how it always goes. Pokémon fans love to complain. They complain the games changed to much or they complain about how they miss the older generations. In the end they all buy it. Numbers don’t lie.

@roboshort @Dr_Lugae @MajorTom Oh, I don't know. Early DQ and FF games have exactly the same game mechanics as Pokemon. Just a little bit easier that's all. An RPG-lite if you like. Think that's what makes Pokemon so popular. Anyone can play the games.
I think the big problem with the internet criticism is that gamers have grown up and want Pokemon to grow up with them (like the FF series), but in reality, Pokemon games just cater for the next generation of younger gamers (and casuals, like myself). Long may that continue!

I don’t hate Shield. It was the first Pokémon game I bought since Diamond way back on the DS.

But I will say that I grew tired of it quickly. I don’t think it’s a bad game. I just think Pokemon doesn’t click with me anymore.

I was a big fan in Gen 1 and Gen 2. Especially Gen 2.

The feel I get is that people have had such a strong experience with the Pokemon franchise in the past, that they continue to buy games from the franchise today, hoping to feel the same way they once did. But the games today are not good, and the players get frustrated. But, when they release a new Pokemon, the player goes there and buys it again, because of the old hope. And it stays in this eternal loop handing over your money and receiving a bad product.

@TheRedComet I respect that! Pokemon as a franchise either connects or doesn't with a lot of people. I love it because I enjoy capturing, training and team building! For me, Sword and Shield have made creating competitive teams and strats so easy! But, the story I wish was more fleshed out, but I respect that its simplicity is what made it fresh for me and primed me for the more story-focused Legends Arceus.

But, I respect anyone who says that Pokemon just doesn't click for them. I think that's cool and perfectly fine.

@Wexter I understand why it’s so popular. A friend of mine is a huge Pokémon fan and we are both 32. He’s got 1500 hours in Sword, 500 hours in Shining Pearl, and already hit 60 hours in Legends Arceus. Dude is super competitive too, always playing online tournaments.

As for me, the one Pokémon like game that’s got me hooked right now is Shin Megami Tensei V. It feels like Pokémon in many ways (SMT originated the collect creature genre back in the early 90s in Japan) but with a huge emphasis on the story and characters. I’m really digging it so far.

It's a combination of the Switch effect and Pokemon Go/25th anniversary celebrations revitalizing the series. Pokemon arguably hit its highest peak in popularity since the Gold/Silver days which allowed it to sell gangbusters on the Switch. Heck, even the remake titles are selling better, just because of how accessible the Switch console is. And for a person playing the game for the first time/coming back to the series after Gen 1/2, they aren't going to know the magic the series had during the mid-generations which makes Sword/Shield feel like such lackluster titles.

Definitive proof, SwSh are great games.

Do you think Sword and Shield have any chance of topping the list one day?

What kind of question is that? There is no possible way SwSh will maintain the momentum for annother 9 million sales.

That's not to say I think RGB will hold their title much longer. Total sales of generation 8 titles (SwSh, BDSP, and LA) could easily surpass gen 1 (RGBY) and I would not be surprised if in the next 5 years, or less, RGB will get dethroned, if not by Arceus than by gen 9.

@Dr_Lugae May I ask, how does Pokémon even differ from a traditional turn based RPG outside of collecting the monsters? It certainly has the same mechanics as all the basic RPGs since its first release. The overall gameplay also hasn't really evolved except for their generation gimmicks like Dynamaxing and Z-moves.

Paper Mario also is not really a good example as an alternative to the classic RPG since the fans of the series all seem to hate the newer games while the older ones were more traditional and the series never was selling high numbers in the first place. Ring Fit is more for people who want to exercise at home instead of an alternative for RPG. If it was based on a different genre or more neutral like Wii Fit it probably would have done as good.

Also the classic RPG-genre is doing rather well with games like DQ XI, Yakuza 7 (like a dragon) and Persona 5. The genre certainly is not left in the dust.

I really don't think Pokémon fans are looking for alternatives from traditional RPGs since the series always was a traditional RPG with collecting from the start. They just want Pokémon. The franchise is just so big with all its merchandising. It also made a big comeback with Pokémon Go and that combined with the success of the Switch makes them sell gangbusters.

Having recently/finally played Shield, some of the criticisms are valid. The biggest among those for me was how little your character influences the plot. The moments with Sonia going over some of the lore were the only redeeming scenes in that department. However, there were a few QoL improvements I enjoyed, and the Wild Area was a step in the right direction for the series (Presumably expanded in Legends: Arceus; haven't played it yet). I had a fun time with it and the DLC overall, but I think the last games in the series I thoroughly enjoyed were Sun/Moon...and that was mainly because the story wasn't afraid to get a bit dark, and I liked Alola's setting. Best series plot still goes to Black/White 1/2 in my book.

Having played all gens on release since 2 and onward, honestly, Sword and Shield were one of my favorites. I kept feeling like the story and pokemon were making larger and larger diversions to try and top themselves until they couldn't go any higher. I appreciated the simple story as I played the game on and off for a year (nothing to re-remember) and having lower pokemon numbers with more regional forms really made me latch on to some new ones I would have never considered in the original region. Ultimately, we as a games site are biased toward nitpicking every flaw in a game, but I haven't heard any SwSh complaints in real conversation, so I honestly think we're all a vocal minority.

Plus, them doing the wild area was clearly just practice for Arceus, and I'm glad they're experimenting with gameplay versus more hollow updates in stories, etc.

@Yas I agree, this is likely the biggest portion of the Pokémon fanbase. Many are just casual gamers ( comparable to the yearly FIFA and COD crowd ) and new generations of younger gamers. They buy what is easily accessible or what their friends are playing at school. Since Pokémon is such a big franchise they will likely just settle with that and don't look for much alternatives.

I had some fun with Sword and I've got no time for negativity. I'm also not super attached to any of the older games. I've played a few and enjoyed them, but never gotten into them to the point of finishing them, much less completing the Pokedex. Sword was, well, a Pokemon game. Not my Game of the Decade, but solid good times.

There's a lot of "you don't understand how bad this game is" around Sword and Shield, but the fact is people enjoy them and play them a lot. They are CONSTANTLY near the top in my Trending screen.

Dang, are people still fixated on hating Sword/Shield? Different folks, different strokes I guess because I enjoyed my time with Shield. Is it perfect? Heck no. The story is terrible and is perhaps the most braindead easy game in the series in terms of the main adventure. And the Dexit controversy did rub me the wrong way on Gamefreak's end.

But even with those missteps, they nailed the Pokemon collection aspect of the game with the wild areas. As a Pokemon fan since gen 3, I hadn't felt compelled to complete my Pokedex in any Pokemon game since OR/AS. That along with max raid battles is easily what kept me hooked to the game for over 100 hours. With that said... I still need to go back and finish the Crown Tundra dlc because I did fall off/lost some interest after Isle of Armor. But I think I will go back eventually after I finish Pokemon Legends Arceus (which is an AMAZING game that I will wholeheartedly say is better than Sw/Sh in pretty much every single way).

Again, everyone is entitled to like what they like. If you didn't like Sw/Sh, you're not wrong necessarily. If you hated it, that's ok — I understand nothing is going to change your mind. Just remember you don't speak for everyone in the community, even if you think it is the "general consensus" that most people hate the game. Even if there are people who regretted getting the game, it is now the second best-selling game in the series. So clearly at least some people at least liked it more than you.

It doesn't have to be good to be funny. What did you think of this show? I thought it was funny! 'Laughing' - Statler and Waldorf - The Muppets

My message means opinion is different and can be swayed I was just salty about no national Pokedex not any stupid pixel trees.

@Yas @MajorTom It's mostly in the structure. The typical RPG has the town --> dungeon --> boss structure which Pokemon largely breaks by placing its main bosses in towns.

The loop (especially now that it's easier to train Pokemon) incentivises catching new Pokémon to counter enemies rather than levelling up to overcome enemies. The 4-move system incentivises move choice rather than an ever expanding move/spell list a traditional JRPG and often even monster catching games like
a number of the Digimon game do. It's also presented 1 v 1 with 6 team and party switching is part of the strategy.

The only similarity is turn based systems but it diverges on so much else and splitting away from the standard in it does its turn based system, that it's delivering an experience traditional JRPGs just don't.

I don't really get why you'd even want to draw parallels between Pokemon as a traditional JRPG because based on what you're saying there'd be no excuse for any of them not to be as popular as Pokemon.

Before Pokemon there wasn't a JRPG selling 20 or 30million copies, which means it was fulfilling an unsatisfied demand.

@Primarina This is just my opinion but 4 player raids weren't really good imo. It took away the thing that I loved about Pokemon which is strategy. Idk if anything has changed since I haven't played SwSh in 2 years but from what I remember you can't apply any status affects or buffs because they just get removed instantly. So raid battles just turned into using your super effective move and then wait for your next turn. Since there's 4 players this process drags on way too long.

Also you said "Every Pokemon game before SwSh only had PvP" which isn't true. Gen 3 and Pokemon Platinum for example allowed players to do things like co-op battle tower together along with other multiplayer features in battle frontier. I also want to add that the wild area isn't really special anymore since Pokemon Legends Arceus came out and does it better.

The only thing that makes SwSh special compared to the other games would be curry and Dynamax but I don't really care about either of those personally.

I actually really enjoyed swsh and I’m hoping to complete the natdex in sword so I can get the shiny charm to get shiny Pokemon. I feel like the reason people don’t like swsh is because other games are kinda spoiling them (BOTW) and when swsh still has a bunch of elements from older titles people start hating it because they didn’t do a botw move. Although the idea to get rid of the natdex is admittedly a dumb idea it will help people finally get at least a completed Pokédex and start getting shinies.
Also I remember Dantdm playing swsh and the comments on those videos are pretty positive and dantdm also seemed to like it.

@Dr_Lugae I really have to disagree with it having a different structure. The routes and caves to the town with the gym leaders basically are dungeons. Instead of having a healing or save point within the dungeon itself before a boss you do it in the town with the gym leader.
It pretty much just goes
town -> dungeon (route and caves) -> boss + town

Also mentioning incentive to catch new Pokémon to overcome challenges certainly was not how most players played the serie. Many of players often just kept 1 team and levelled mainly their starter to the point they could beat most trainers. They mainly caught the Pokémons for collecting and kept most in the box.The 4 move system does not make the game much different if you ask me. Having 4 or 7 moves does not change much in the grand scheme. This even makes it more accessible for the younger generations like Yas mentioned. Like a RPG-lite such as he called it. Maybe for competitive play makes the 4 moves and countering Pokémon a difference, but that part of the fanbase certainly is a minority.

"there'd be no excuse for any of them not to be as popular as Pokemon."
I am not sure how you can't understand that Pokémon is big because of the franchise itself being the biggest multimedia franchise of the world.

"Before Pokemon there wasn't a JRPG selling 20 or 30million copies, which means it was fulfilling an unsatisfied demand."
This also was the first RPG that had a series on television that blew up and everyone watched and a card-game that everyone played during break at school. For many was this their first RPG game, because of its massive exposure, not because it offered something different.

@Angelic_Lapras_King Your logic makes no sense. The Switch sold more in five years than the Wii did in six years. By any metric, no matter how you judge it, the Switch has outsold the Wii. The fact that the Wii had essentially an 11 year headstart only makes the Switch’s success more impressive, not less.

@TheRedComet That's awesome! I adore the SMT games! I feel SMT is really meant for those looking for a more personalized and mature Pokemon experience. It has a mature story, more complex gameplay (within reason Pokemon is very complex under the hood) and a tailor-made progression to really test the player. I think the reason SMT can hook those who are not into Pokemon is due to the target audience. SMT is directed more to an adult audience with convoluted lore, religious and mythological references, complex character dynamics, hidden moral consequences, and a brutal difficulty curve. It is more intensive. Pokemon I find is more laidback and chill and meant more for late childhood to early teens. Us adults enjoy it probably more for the sense of nostalgia and low-key chill vibe. But, I find most adults who don't enjoy it are more just looking for something different. Which is completely cool! Maybe the future Legends games can be that bridge kinda like how Persona is for SMT.

I think it is marvellous that people enjoy both! If you haven't yet give Persona a go as well when you get the time! Super enjoyable game!

If not for Legends: Arceus, Pokemon Sword would be my favorite 3D Pokemon game outright, so well deserved that the games hit that level of success. The main games on Switch in general have been the best experiences I've had with the franchise since Generation 5.

@Mauzuri I don't get the hate towards sun and moon, they had a huge pokedex, tons of nice character designs, great villains and writing and a way better region than Galar, not to mention that soundtrack. Was it maybe the burn out of all the Pokémon on 3DS? (maybe it was the never ending cutscenes)

@UglyCasanova,

Opinion surely, but definitive proof, not so sure.

@moodycat,

Or a reflection of anything either way, they still critic review at 80/100 on average, quite enjoyed them as I am sure many others did too, not perfect but far from the car crash some are stating.

@moodycat,

O.K so are bad reviews honest and good ones the truth?, not sure we can reach any conclusion based on that as there could be as you say a bias, so surely by the same metric we can't trust the user reviews good or bad because there could also be an agenda, and of course review bombing either way as well.

So we are back to personal subjective opinion as to the quality or lack of within these games, now of course people then suggest we can't take good sales into account because there is no indication this means the people are happy, and even if they are, they do not have the high standards of the people who do not like these games.

So still not so sure either way, but one thing I do know is neither side can state anything as an objective fact about any of this.

And flipping your argument around, all the alleged backlash and discourse from some Pokemon fans could be shared opinions that are wrong as well, as one thing that has always been the truth with things like this, people are always far more vocal when upset about things.

@moodycat,

Very true, I guess it down to the individual to decide if they personally like or dislike these games, and some of the positive reviews even mentioned the games issues, I too have some problems with it, but overall found the game enjoyable.

Thanks for the chat, it's nice to have a more reasonable discourse on here.

I thought X and Y were pretty meh, and mega evolutions were just a gimmick.The only good thing is that they snobbed the 3d gimmick of 3ds. Now Sword and Shield, i liked the graphics and some of the new pokemon designs but it was a pretty by-the numbers game too. Haven't played Arceus yet. It may not be BOTW of pokemon but a breath of fresh air never hurts

That's great news. I enjoyed the games and never understood the hate they got from some fans aside from not having every Pokemon in them which was disappointing to an extent - yes but it didn't ruin the games for me and I have played both multiple times. Maybe I am just a fan of all things Pokemon but I don't think there has been a single Pokemon game I have played that I didn't enjoy. Obviously, I felt some were better than others but I haven't hated any of them.

This is not an indication that Sword and shield are better or worse than any other Pokémon game.

It has more to to with how many people have a compatible console.

Red/green/blue I can understand. The franchise took the world by storm. Not only that.. you where good to play it as long as you had a game boy, game boy pocket, game boy light or game boy color.
All very successful handhelds.

The reason Sword and Shield sells so well is mostly because so many people have a Switch.

@DaniPooo What about Diamond & Pearl and Black/White?

150million DS systems sold, and also compatible on the 75million 3DS systems. Why aren't they at the top?

@Dr_Lugae because people were getting tired of Pokémon at that time. Many people never played these games or it was the last games they played before taking a pokebreak.
But look these games are still pretty far up the list.

I think B/W and B2/W2 both are some of the best in the franchise.
The reason the didn’t sell well was simply that the pokefever was cooling down.

People had their fill of the formula at this point.

People hate on sword and shield way too much. I didn't buy them when they released, partly because of the hate, but mostly because sun/moon burned me out with its long cut scenes and its aggressive hand holding. I just bought sword a couple weeks ago because I was feeling an itch to get back into VGC. Playing through the story I'm honestly surprised how much I like the game. The graphics are actually really appealing and some areas are really pretty. The variety of Pokemon available to you from the very beginning is really nice, you can build a full diverse team early in the game. The XP system doesn't feel nearly as broken as the 3DS games, with wild Pokemon and trainers keeping up with the level of your team very well. The story elements while still numerous don't feel as drawn out as sun/moon, or maybe it's because I like the characters more. The game still holds the players hand a lot, but it doesn't feel as in your face, sun/moon felt like a tour instead of an adventure, sword/shield feels a little more like an adventure.

Even though my primary goal is playing competitive I gotta say I'm enjoying the single player experience.

I wish GameFreak would just get around to fixing the bag icons for the Fossilized Fish and Fossilized Drake in an update because one is actually supposed to the other.