If you click on a link and make a purchase we may receive a small commission. Read our editorial policy.

Pokémon global lifetime sales surpass 300m

Figure does not include Pokémon Go or downloads, but does include Snap, Stadium and all the other spin-offs

The Pokémon Company has announced that its world-conquering, monster-catching series has sold more than 300m copies worldwide.

Famitsu reported the news, and clarified that this milestone refers specifically to physical sales - not downloads via the 3DS Virtual Console, or free-to-play mobile titles like Pokémon Go and Pokémon Shuffle.

However, mention of 76 titles across the franchise takes this beyond the mainstay RPG outings, encompassing everything from N64 classics Pokémon Snap and Stadium to long-running spin-offs like Pokémon Mystery Dungeon and Pokémon Ranger.

The latest boxed entries are Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, expanded versions of last year's releases that landed on shelves last week.

The Pokémon series marked its 20th anniversary last year, having first launched with Pokémon Red and Green in Japan back in 1996. Its celebrations continue this year with the Western release of Pokémon The Movie: I Choose You, a silver screen outing based on the first season of the popular anime.

Earlier this year, The Pokémon Company revealed its profits had risen by 2,500% over the course of the fiscal year, generating $143.3m for the firm. Unsurprisngly, a lot of this came from Pokémon Go although Sun and Moon are believed to be major contributors, too.