Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl Had Switch's Second Biggest Launch Ever in Japan

Following its strong debut in Europe, sales numbers for Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl have come in for Japan, and they are quite impressive! According to Famitsu, combined sales for both versions, the Double Pack, and download cards accounted for 1,395,642 units in three days. That number makes for the second-best debut for a Nintendo Switch game in the region, behind Animal Crossing: New Horizons. It's a promising start for the game, and it's worth noting that the numbers do not account for players that purchased the game directly from the Nintendo Switch eShop.

It will be interesting to see what kind of longevity Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl will have! Nintendo Switch games have an incredible habit of selling well years after launch, but Pokemon Legends: Arceus is set to release in just over two months. As I mentioned in our write-up about Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl's success in Europe, it's possible that Legends: Arceus could have a negative impact on longterm sales, but it's impossible to say for certain. Interestingly enough, a recently released commercial in Japan is already promoting Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl alongside Legends: Arceus. The commercial shows two friends discussing the releases, with one lamenting how hard it is to choose between them. The commercial can be found in the Tweet embedded below.

In addition to the Pokemon news, Famitsu has also offered updated sales information for the Nintendo Switch console. The system has now sold more than 22 million units in the region. The console sold 168,000 units last week, up from 87,000 the week before. It's possible Pokemon was responsible for the boost, or perhaps buyers are simply getting ready for the holiday season. Whatever the reason might be, these figures are very good news for Nintendo!

Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl is available now, exclusively on Nintendo Switch. Readers can check out our previous coverage of the game right here.

Have you checked out Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl? Wha do you think of the remake so far? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp to talk all things gaming!

[H/T: Nintendo Everything]

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