Pokémon Legends: Eternia Breaks Series Records with 18 Million Copies in First Week

The Pokémon Company announced that Pokémon Legends: Eternia has sold 18 million copies in its first week of release, making it the fastest-selling entry in the franchise's 30-year history. The previous record was held by Pokémon Legends: Arceus at 6.5 million.

Eternia, set in a Mesoamerican-inspired region called Xoltlandia, represents Game Freak's most ambitious title to date. The open world is seamlessly connected with no routes or boundaries between areas, Pokémon behave according to ecosystem logic, and the day/night cycle affects which species are active at granular level.

The game introduced 127 new Pokémon, the largest roster expansion in a single title since Sword and Shield. Fan reception to the new designs has been unusually positive — the community hasn't rallied around a new design cohort this warmly since Generation 2.

Nintendo attributes the sales spike partly to Switch 3 bundle deals, which launched simultaneously with Eternia and offered the game at a discount. However, digital-only sales on existing hardware accounts for 60% of the total, suggesting the game's quality — not the hardware — is the primary driver.