Pokémon: Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl Are The Second-Biggest Physical Launch in Japan

The Pokémon remakes are shining brilliantly in Japan

Earlier in the week, it was reported that Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Pokémon Shining Pearl had the second-biggest physical launch of 2021, here in the UK, just missing out on FIFA 22‘s top spot.

Now it has been reported the Pokémon remakes have done similar in Japan by becoming the second-biggest physical launches in Japan by far, according to Famitsu.

Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl

Between the two Pokémon remakes, 1.39 million copies were sold in the first three days. This includes the standard retail versions, the double-pack editions, download card purchases. Nintendo never releases its sales figures for its eShop, so digital sales for Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl are unknown.

The biggest physical launch on Nintendo Switch is still Animal Crossing: New Horizons, with 1.88 million copies sold in the first three days, yet Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl have already outsold Pokémon Sword and Shield, which sold 1.36 million copies in the equivalent time.

Obviously, there are currently more Switch users in Japan now than there were in 2019, but since Sword and Shield are on track to be the second-biggest Pokémon titles of all time, it will be interesting to see if Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl can sustain this.

The owner of Serebii.net, Joe Merrick, also shared the physical launch sales for all the games in Japan, further proving the Pokémon remakes success.

For comparisons sake, here's the physical launch weekends of the games in Japan

BDSP: 1.396m
SWSH: 1.364m
Let's Go: 664k
USUM: 1.19m
SM: 1.9m
ORAS: 1.54m
XY: 2.09m

SWSH launch was smaller but digital ratio has increased.
SWSH was confirmed for over 2m including Digital

— Joe Merrick (@JoeMerrick) November 25, 2021