Pokemon Legends Arceus trails Animal Crossing as the second fastest-selling Switch game in Japan

Pokemon Legends Arceus is the second fastest-selling Switch game in Japan, and Pokemon Sword and Shield have become the second best-selling Pokemon games ever.

Earlier today, Japanese publication Famitsu reported that Pokemon Legends Arceus, which launched last week, had surpassed 1.425 million copies sold in Japan in just three days. This makes it the second fastest-selling Nintendo Switch game ever in Japan, placing just behind Animal Crossing: New Horizons.

Additionally, Pokemon Sword and Shield are now positioned as the second best-selling Pokemon games ever. According to Nintendo's new sales data (thanks, ResetEra), the two games now sit at a combined 23.90 million units sold worldwide, overtaking Pokemon Gold and Silver to become the second best-selling games in the historic franchise.

However, the two games are still a fair bit behind the number one position. Sitting at the top of the list are Pokemon Red, Green, and Blue, which to date have sold a staggering 31.38 million units worldwide. That figure probably isn't rising anytime soon, given how old the three games are, but it's highly unlikely that Sword and Shield would ever overtake the trio to take the crown.

Pokemon Legends Arceus might've just launched last week, but it seems it's already a hit with the massive fanbase around the world. To find out why we rewarded Game Freak's latest effort with a prestigious 4.5/5 stars, and called it a "refreshing take on the Pokemon formula," you can head over to our full Pokemon Legends Arceus review for more.

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