If splatoon 2 could have hit near 1000, then I think Pokemon should have done it easily. Since Splatoon 2's launch I don't think any stores have closed. This is compounded by the fact that Splatoon 2 is a very leggy game, while Pokemon isn't. Of course Pokemon will be completely fine, but it's numbers at COMG are not encouraging.

I think digitales sales will be pretty strong for pokemon compared to other titles... I don't know about in Japan but in europe they wanted to give the steelbox also for the digital ones

First of all, PAOerfulone's

Numbers are not entirely accurate. You have to count the Pokémon double pack (TWICE) because they are two seperate games. Famitsu also counts them as two separate sales. Pokémon Sword and Shield's real numbers are 621 Points. 

Secondly, Pokémon will exceed 1000 points. What numbers will it get, I don't know. But current tracking has Sword and Shield opening twice as Let's Go. To put it into perspective, Sword and Shield WILL open larger than Smash Bros. How much larger, I don't know? The sudden controversy regarding the game may pose some danger in it's potential sales, however, don't use COMG's numbers as an accurate source of pre orders. Particarly because Sword and Shield will outsell Splatoon 2 quite considerably. 

As for me, i'm a fan of Pokémon. However, I am not a fan of Sword and Shield. And i'm interested to see what will happen to it's sales in Japan once word spreads that most of the Pokémon will be cut. 

5+3=12, eh Boutros?

I'm worried for Pokemon to even make 500 points at this rate. It probably will, but the fact that a few weeks ago I thought 500 was a safe bet and now it doesn't feel completely safe is kind of sad. To the people yammering on about the double pack, the double pack is there for every new Pokemon game, so the point comparisons still hold, they're already a part of those comparisons. I really don't know what to make of it though. Pokemon LGPE sold over 10 million, and while weak in Japan, sold well elsewhere. Pokemon SWSH is tracking way ahead of LGPE, and might even double it, so I feel it's pretty certain that SWSH will do better in Japan than LGPE, and will do better worldwide as well. So seeing as LGPE is trending towards 12 or 13 million at minimum, SWSH should do normal Pokemon mainline numbers, maybe even D/P levels or better. It should get 15 million minimum and probably blow right past that. So I'm not worried about Pokemon, though maybe the brand, or even video games as a whole, aren't what they once were in Japan.

None of that explains these low numbers though. And if you look at the COMG site, their stores haven't closed lately, so fewer stores than last Pokemon gen doesn't explain it either. Their audience is definitely shrinking, but I think it's also fundamentally changing. It does feel like its Sony audience is as strong as ever despite Nintendo increasing its dominance in the country, so maybe its just selling more to a mobile gaming audience or something? Not even sure what you'd sell in that case. I don't know, but the fact that the stores aren't closing in spite of the shockingly lower preorders and sales makes me think they've found something else to bring in money by.

Double Pack is usually listed as a separate SKU. There's numerous examples of this that don't relate to Pokemon.

A defining weekend for Pokemon

so, do you think Pokemon Sword, Shield will break the record for first week sales in japan? Smash holds the record right?