Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen cost $20 a pop, but that hasn't stopped them from dominating the sales charts

Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen jumped to the top of the UK Nintendo eShop sales chart shortly after their pre-orders were released. It is currently a reissue of a classic Pokemon The RPG will be one of the best-selling Switch titles of late winter, despite the fact that their price tags have previously raised some eyebrows among fans.

Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen have been available for pre-order since February 20th, when Nintendo and The Pokemon Company formally announced the Switch version of the Game Boy Advanced remakes Pokemon red and green. The games are set to launch on February 27, coinciding with Pokemon Day and this year's 30th anniversary celebrations. They are priced at $19.99 each.

Screenshot from exploring Togepi town via Pokemon FireRed

Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen Change have fans worried

Nintendo is quietly changing some of the Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen rosters, leaving many fans worried right before the games release.

Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen are enjoying strong pre-sale momentum

Four days after pre-orders went live, both games are enjoying strong commercial momentum on the UK eShop chart Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen as the two best-selling Switch titles in the country. The initial surge is particularly notable as the two versions compete not only with each other, but also with perennial eShop mainstays such as Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Minecraft, Nintendo Switch Sportsand Animal Crossing: New Horizons.

Who is that character?

Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.

Who is that character?

Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.

Easy (7.5s) Medium (5.0s) Hard (2.5s) Permadeath (2.5s)

The pre-release momentum is particularly significant given the vocal backlash on social media over the pricing of the upcoming reissues. While some fans argue that $20 is too much for a 20-year-old game, those opinions seem to be in the minority. Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen lead the sales charts of the eShop in one of the largest European game markets. While time will tell how the Switch versions of the GBA remakes fare in the long run, their immediate ranking suggests an audience for the main series. Pokemon at least the nostalgia is big enough to trump the sticker-shock discourse at launch.

Online discussion suggests that some fans who pre-ordered either game were pleasantly surprised that both Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen are available for separate purchase at all. Many years before their announcement, many expected Nintendo to tie any re-release of the first two together Pokemon RPG to its Nintendo Switch Online subscription, as with most of its classic titles that made it to the eShop. The company implicitly acknowledged these expectations in recently published FAQs that describe Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen as special cases it was thought “it would be fun” to bring back as separate releases.

Nintendo eShop UK Charts 24 February 2026

Pokemon FireRed version
Pokemon LeafGreen version
Minecraft
Pokemon Legends: ZA
Nintendo Switch Sports
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
Animal Crossing: New Horizons
Super Mario Party Jamboree
EA Sports FC 26
It takes two

Another possible reason why they won't be available through Nintendo Switch Online is that the games lack online play. While the new versions will support multiplayer combat and trading like the originals, this will be limited to locally connected consoles. Pokemon Home support was initially confirmed via the game's eShop listings before the reference was removed. Based on recent mainline releases, Pokemon Home integration will likely be added post-launch. The most likely reason this feature has historically been added at launch is because Game Freak isn't in charge of it. Instead, Pokemon Home is being developed exclusively by ILCA, a Tokyo-based company that also looked into 2021. Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl Pokemon remodels.

WITH FireRed and LeafGreen pre-orders are gaining momentum, Pokemon the franchise now holds three of the top 10 spots in the UK eShop Best Sellers chart where Pokemon Legends: ZA still fourth. The rest of the chart is largely made up of evergreen titles, with EA Sports FC 26 the latest release among them. Except for startup Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreenOn February 27th, The Pokemon Company will also host a special Pokemon Presents presentation to mark the franchise's 30th anniversary. The event is expected to provide new details about its immediate plans, including the official announcement of Game Freak's Generation 10 RPG.