Nintendo's Shigeru Miyamoto says Pokémon will start selling two versions of each game in an attempt to beat Mario
Blog Andrew Joseph 08 Nov , 2025 0
From Red and Blue to Scarlet and Violet, Pokémon is known for often releasing two different versions of the game — and now Nintendo's Shigeru Miyamoto discusses one of the reasons: trying to match the sales of his own creation, Super Mario.
Since its launch on the Game Boy, Pokémon has typically had two mainline releases, ensuring die-hard fans paid double the price to own both varieties. This decision proved to be profitable over the years – of course, that was the plan all along.
Speak at investor Q&A Meeting Responding to a question this week about whether Mario Kart's massive sales could be surpassed, Nintendo legend Shigeru Miyamoto said he had spoken to Pokémon creator Satoshi Tajiri and heard his plan to beat Mario.
Shigeru Miyamoto revealed: “A long time ago, before making the first Pokémon game, Pokémon director Satoshi Tajiri joked to me that to surpass Nintendo's Mario, he would have to sell two copies of the game to every consumer.”
“That's one of the reasons why Pokémon started with Pokémon Red and Pokémon Blue,” he continued. “I believe that new ideas are born because of people like him who challenge themselves to go beyond what has come before them.”
In the past, official discussions about why Pokémon often appears in two styles have focused on the possibility of player interaction. Each Pokémon version traditionally offers a different set of creatures to collect, encouraging players to meet and trade. Recent Pokémon games have also offered subtle story differences between versions, enticing fans to play both games simultaneously for the full experience. What's more, Nintendo often sells double packs of both versions at the same time, sometimes at a slight discount.
As for whether any game can truly beat Mario Kart — especially the huge sales of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe on the Switch 1 — Miyamoto was coy.
“If some of Nintendo's intellectual property or innovations are widely accepted by consumers as something new and never seen before, those numbers could go beyond entertainment,” he said. “The interesting thing about Nintendo is that it's okay to try anything.
“On the other hand, even if something like this happens, Mario Kart will probably continue to be a best-seller for the project, so it may never be surpassed!”
launched last month Pokémon Legends: ZAthe latest spin-off in the series, features a slew of new Mega Evolutions. Fans are widely anticipating the release of the next mainline Pokémon game next year, the 30th anniversary of the Pokémon brand: the 10th generation game in the series. Yes, Recent leaks suggest these will also be sold in two different versions.
Tom Phillips is IGN's news editor. You can contact Tom at [email protected] or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social