Pokémon Legends: Z-A Sells 5.8 Million Units, Marks Strong but Slightly Slower Start Than Arceus

Pokémon Legends: Z-A has burst onto the scene with a strong debut, selling an impressive 5.8 million units during its first week. According to The Pokémon Company, roughly half of those sales came from the newly launched Nintendo Switch 2, confirming the franchise’s enduring power even across console generations.

While this figure doesn’t quite surpass the record set by Pokémon Legends: Arceus – which reached 6.5 million in its debut week – it still represents one of the strongest openings for any Pokémon RPG in recent years.

Critics and fans alike have been dissecting what makes Pokémon Legends: Z-A stand out. Wccftech reviewer Nathan Birch awarded the game a solid 8.5 out of 10, praising its balanced structure and refined design. Unlike its sprawling predecessors, Z-A takes a more focused approach: the main story can be completed in around 20 hours, though players who aim to truly ‘Catch ’em All’ can expect to spend well over 50 hours exploring every nook and cranny. The game rewards curiosity with depth, offering side quests, hidden evolutions, and lore connections to earlier generations.

Many see Z-A as a step forward in terms of cohesion and polish. While Scarlet and Violet pushed for scale, they also suffered from technical hiccups. Z-A, on the other hand, tightens the focus, delivering a more stable and artistically consistent world. The refined combat system introduces new tactical layers, blending the freedom of Legends-style movement with more deliberate, satisfying encounters. For fans, it’s a sign that the Pokémon franchise has finally found a comfortable balance between nostalgia and innovation.

Players have been vocal about their impressions online. Some praise the tighter pacing and improved performance, while others still long for a grander open-world adventure. Yet the consensus remains: Pokémon Legends: Z-A feels like the most complete and confident entry in the HD era – an evolution that honors the past while setting the stage for what’s next. As one fan quipped, “It’s not the biggest Pokémon world, but it might be the one that finally gets it right.”