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Pokémon Legends: Z-A has taken Japan by storm, securing the top position in this week’s Famitsu sales charts with an astounding 1,485,457 physical units sold at launch. Split between the Nintendo Switch and the Switch 2 versions, the game marks the largest debut for any title in Japan this year and one of the strongest Pokémon launches in recent memory.
According to Famitsu’s latest report for the week of October 13 to October 19, 2025, Pokémon Legends: Z-A sold 872,552 copies on the original Nintendo Switch and an additional 612,905 copies on the Switch 2. Combined, these figures push the game’s total physical launch sales beyond 1.48 million units, surpassing the opening numbers of its predecessor, Pokémon Legends: Arceus, which sold approximately 1.42 million units during its debut week in January 2022.
The game’s performance positions it among the most successful launches in Pokémon history. While it trails behind major milestones set by titles like Pokémon Black and White (2.63 million) and Pokémon Scarlet and Violet (2.53 million), Z-A now ranks within the top ten largest Japanese debuts in the franchise’s decades-long legacy.
Hardware sales reflected this enthusiasm, with over 200,000 new consoles sold during the same week. Switch 2, in particular, enjoyed its second-best week since launch, officially surpassing 2.4 million units sold in Japan. The surge in hardware activity also boosted sales of legacy titles, with Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and Donkey Kong Bonanza posting respective increases of 49 percent and 32 percent week-on-week.
For comparison, the top-performing Pokémon titles in Japan historically include Pokémon Black and White with 2.63 million units, Pokémon Scarlet and Violet with 2.53 million, and Pokémon X and Y with 2.09 million. With its 1.48 million combined physical debut, Pokémon Legends: Z-A comfortably surpasses Pokémon Legends: Arceus (1.42 million) and Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl (1.39 million), reaffirming the series’ cultural dominance nearly three decades after its inception.
Pokémon Legends: Z-A is available now on the Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2. Released on October 16, 2025, the game invites players to experience a reimagined Kalos region where innovation, exploration, and evolution define the future of Pokémon.
AloJapan.com