The two latest Pokemon video games, Pokemon Black Version and Pokemon White Version, were released in North America last Sunday and sold an astounding 1.08 million units in just their first 24 hours of release. The sales broke the franchise’s previous single-day sales record of 780,000 units held by Pokemon Diamond Version and Pokemon Pearl Version, which were released in 2007. 

 

Pokemon is Nintendo’s second most popular property trailing only the iconic Mario. Since the first Pokemon video game was released in 1998, Nintendo has put out 60 Pokemon games. Pokemon Black Version and Pokemon White Version were both crafted for the Nintendo DS hand held game console. 

 

As ICv2 has reported, 2011 is a big year for Pokemon, with the “Black and White” themes and storylines spread across all facets of the multi-media property including the popular Pokemon TV series, now in its 14th season in the U.S.  In addition to the Black and White video games, there is also the release of the Black and White Expansion for the popular Pokemon TCG (see “Pokemon TCG: Black & White”), and the release of twin Black & White Pokemon feature films (see “Pokemon Double Feature”).

 

Entertainment Weekly marveled at the longevity of the Pokemon phenomenon, which has survived when so many 1990s phenoms like the Macarena and Old Navy Tech Vests have fallen by the wayside. EW correctly noted that Pokemon’s staying power is the result of a number of factors including the property’s basic appeal to kids, its complex yet comprehensible mythology, its appeal to adults as well as kids and tweens, and its solid gaming formula.