Pokémon Legends: Z-A Sells 5.8 Million in a Week as Fans Debate Graphics and Gameplay

When Pokémon Legends: Z-A launched on 16 October for the Nintendo Switch and Switch 2, it immediately set the gaming world alight. Within a week, The Pokémon Company confirmed the title had sold 5.8 million copies worldwide, including both physical and digital versions.

Half of those sales came from the new Switch 2 console, giving Nintendo's latest hardware a blockbuster start and cementing Z-A as one of 2025's biggest gaming releases.

Fans Split Over Graphics and Art Direction

The figures make Z-A the fifth-best Pokémon launch of all time, just behind Scarlet & Violet, Arceus, and Sword & Shield. Yet despite its strong debut, the game has divided opinion online.

While many celebrated its gameplay and nostalgic setting, others criticised its visuals. On Reddit, some players branded the graphics a "downgrade" from previous entries, claiming textures appeared flat and environments lacked depth.

One fan wrote: 'It literally looks like a downgrade from Pokémon SV. The Pokémon don't have textures anymore; they all share the same bland surface.'

Others compared it unfavourably to Pokémon Legends: Arceus, released in 2022, which was praised for its painterly aesthetic.

Over on X (formerly Twitter), supporters hit back, arguing that gameplay mattered more than realism. One post read: 'Pokémon just refuses to die. Every time people say it's over, it drops another multi-million launch like it's nothing. 5.8M in a week? That's not a game, that's a religion.'

Another joked: 'People crying about graphics can cry me a river.'

Why Players Still Can't Get Enough

Pokémon Legends: Z-A transports players back to Lumiose City, the setting of Pokémon X & Y, mixing nostalgia with new open-world mechanics. Unlike Arceus, which explored an ancient version of the Sinnoh region, Z-A offers a modern metropolis filled with expanded areas and more strategic combat.

Game Freak's latest entry has been described as both a tribute and a reinvention of the franchise. Video Games Chronicle called it 'a love letter to older fans that improves on Arceus in every way.'

Critics have praised its world-building, fluid exploration, and stronger storytelling, while long-time fans say it captures the thrill of rediscovering their childhood. One X user summed it up: 'It's like revisiting your childhood, but with better battles and more freedom.'

Pokémon's Power Shows No Sign of Fading

Despite online backlash, the success of Pokémon Legends: Z-A proves the franchise's enduring dominance. The Pokémon Company has now sold nearly 500 million video games since its debut 29 years ago, with no signs of slowing down.

Industry analysts note that no title has matched Z-A's first-week performance at US retail since The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom in 2023.

Fans are already looking ahead to the upcoming DLC, Mega Dimension, expected to expand Lumiose City's story and introduce new Mega Evolutions. With anticipation running high, many predict another surge in sales once the add-on arrives.

After nearly three decades, Pokémon remains the undisputed champion of handheld gaming – and Z-A has only strengthened its legacy.