Koei Tecmo CEO says it aimed to make Pokémon Pokopia the best-selling Pokémon spin-off before launch

Koei Tecmo has revealed that it set an ambitious goal for Pokémon Pokopia long before the game launched, with the company hoping it would become the best-selling Pokémon spin-off ever.

While expectations were modest ahead of release, strong reviews from international media helped the title gain momentum, and its impressive commercial performance has put that objective within reach.

The comments come from Koei Tecmo president and CEO Hisashi Koinuma during a recent interview with Famitsu, where he reflected on the success of the Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive.

Strong reviews helped Pokémon Pokopia exceed expectations

Speaking about the game’s reception, Koinuma admitted that the development team always had lofty ambitions despite limited expectations before launch.

“We did work with the aim to make it the best selling spin-off game, but before launch there weren’t any real expectations. However, directly ahead of launch, lots of overseas media played it and rated it very highly, and then I felt it spread from there.”

According to Nintendo’s latest financial briefing, Pokémon Pokopia surpassed 4 million copies sold within its first five weeks, making it one of the fastest-selling Pokémon spin-off titles ever. Nintendo also described the game as a title it hopes will enjoy a long sales life on Switch 2.

The current best-selling Pokémon spin-off remains Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Red Rescue Team and Blue Rescue Team, which have sold a combined 5.85 million copies worldwide. Given Pokopia’s rapid sales pace, it appears well positioned to challenge that record in the coming months.

Jirachi, the Wish Pokémon, arrives in Pokémon Pokopia as part of a limited-time event (Image via The Pokémon Company)

Experience from Dragon Quest Builders shaped the project

Koinuma also explained that Koei Tecmo’s previous collaboration with Square Enix on Dragon Quest Builders 2 played an important role in Pokémon Pokopia’s development.

He said the studio spent years refining how its crafting expertise could fit within another company’s franchise. That experience allowed Omega Force to expand beyond its traditional Warriors games and build the systems that ultimately became the foundation for Pokémon Pokopia.

The game’s future also looks promising. The Pokémon Company has already announced a multi-part Expansion Pass, with the first content drop, Bubbly Basin, arriving in August alongside additional gameplay features and free updates.