Pokemon Scarlet and Violet pre-orders are already breaking records in Japan

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The next entry in the hugely popular Nintendo series is already off to a great start

Pokemon Scarlet and Violet
(Image credit: The Pokemon Company/Nintendo)

Pokemon Scarlet and Violet is seeing record-breaking numbers of pre-orders in Japan.

The launch of Pokemon Scarlet and Violet on Switch is now less than two weeks away, and judging by pre-order figures, the latest entry in the long-running Nintendo series could be the most popular yet. 

As shared by Twitter user Pierre485 (thanks Nintendo Life), data from Japanese retailer COMG reveals combined pre-orders of Scarlet and Violet reached 1,208 14 days prior to launch. As the graph below shows, this is considerably higher than any of its predecessors. According to Pierre485's analysis, the game has "surpassed the first 3 days of sales made by any Pokemon game on Switch with only pre-orders."

To show how Pokemon Scarlet and Violet is performing on a wider scale, the Twitter user shared COMG's pre-order figures for other popular Switch exclusives. According to the data, pre-orders for Monster Hunter Rise were 797 two weeks before its release. Next was Super Smash Bros. Ultimate with 641, followed by Splatoon 3 with 497, and Animal Crossing: New Horizons, which managed 434. 

It's worth noting that these figures are from just one retailer in just one country, and the popularity of Pokemon Scarlet and Violet could vary from one seller to another. Still, given the game's intriguing new additions and expansive open world, it's pretty much guaranteed to be among Switch's most popular titles. 

Our recent hands-on with the upcoming Pokemon game has left her wanting more. Getting to roam around Paldea for just one hour she said, "I really don't know how to feel about Pokemon Scarlet and Violet." 

Check out the Pokemon Scarlet and Violet Pokedex to see all the Pokemon confirmed so far.

Anne-Marie Ostler
Anne-Marie Ostler
Freelance Writer

Originally from Ireland, I moved to the UK in 2014 to pursue a Games Journalism and PR degree at Staffordshire University. Following that, I've freelanced for GamesMaster, Games TM, Official PlayStation Magazine and, more recently, Play and GamesRadar+. My love of gaming sprang from successfully defeating that first Goomba in Super Mario Bros on the NES. These days, PlayStation is my jam. When not gaming or writing, I can usually be found scouring the internet for anything Tomb Raider related to add to my out of control memorabilia collection.