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Pokémon Legends: Z-A Sets Record with 5.8M Sales

10/29/2025

33 5 Full Breakdown

Summary

Story summary

Pokémon Legends: Z-A delivered the best US retail launch for a video game in two and a half years, surpassing The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.
Circana analyst Mat Piscatella says the game sold 5.8 million copies globally in its first week, the fifth-best Pokémon launch.
The game features a new real-time battle system and reintroduces mega-evolutions.
In France, it topped the sales charts for week 42, 2025.

History

Historical Context

Since the launch of Pokémon Red and Green in 1996, the Pokémon franchise has consistently dominated the gaming market, selling over 279 million units by 2016. The release of Pokémon Legends: Z-A in 2025 marked its best retail launch in the U.S. since 2022, selling 5.8 million copies globally, showcasing the franchise's enduring popularity and innovation in gameplay mechanics.

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Story summary

Pokémon Legends: Z-A delivered the best US retail launch for a video game in two and a half years, surpassing The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.
Circana analyst Mat Piscatella says the game sold 5.8 million copies globally in its first week, the fifth-best Pokémon launch.
The game features a new real-time battle system and reintroduces mega-evolutions.
In France, it topped the sales charts for week 42, 2025.

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