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The claim that the Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet expansions cost as much to develop as Pokémon Legends: Arceus comes from leak coverage, not a confirmed budget disclosure. Figures reported from the same leak put the DLC at ¥1.423 billion and Legends: Arceus at ¥2.175 billion—different amounts, though the DLC’s reported final cost was well above its reported initial budget.
What the leak reportedly says
In October 2025, gaming outlets amplified a claim attributed to the CentroLeaks account that development of the Scarlet and Violet DLC ended up costing “as much as” the full development of Pokémon Legends: Arceus. The expansions in question are The Teal Mask and The Indigo Disk. Insider Gaming’s account of the claim presents that comparison as a leak-derived assertion, not a statement from Nintendo, Game Freak, or The Pokémon Company.
A more detailed account of the leak gives figures that do not match the headline comparison:
| Item | Reported amount | What the figure represents |
|---|---|---|
| Scarlet/Violet DLC | ¥1,423 million | Reported development cost of the expansions |
| Pokémon Legends: Arceus | ¥2,175 million | Reported development cost of the full game |
| Scarlet/Violet DLC initial plan | ¥500 million | Reported original planned budget for the DLC |
These are amounts Kotaku reported from the leak material; none is a company-confirmed budget. On those reported numbers, the DLC’s final cost was about 2.85 times its planned budget, but it remained roughly ¥752 million below the reported Legends: Arceus development cost. The “as much as” wording is therefore an imprecise summary of the leak, not an equality supported by its detailed figures.
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![Pokémon Scarlet/Pokémon Violet Expansion Pass: The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero (Retail Version) Standard - Nintendo Switch [Digital Code]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51n-a8y2QXL._SL160_.jpg)
- Only one code for a Hisuian Zoroark can be used in either the Pokémon Scarlet or Pokémon Violet game. Upon purchase of The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero DLC, an email with your code will be sent to the email address registered to your Nintendo Account. From the in-game menu, go to the Poké Portal, then select Mystery Gift, select Get with Code/Password, and then enter your code.
- The Mystery Gift option can be found within the Poké Portal menu option in the X menu after you unlock the feature in the Pokémon Scarlet or Pokémon Violet game. (This occurs after about 1 to 1.5 hours of gameplay, though individual gameplay time may vary.) An internet connection and a Nintendo Account is required to redeem the item in game. A Nintendo Switch Online membership is not required. Each item can only be redeemed once.
What the figures establish—and what they do not
The reports establish that the claim circulated and that leak coverage supplied numerical estimates. They do not establish that the underlying documents are authentic or that the compared amounts use the same accounting scope. The reports do not say whether marketing or other costs are included. Without that information, the figures cannot support a broader comparison of total production spending.
Nintendo’s FY2025 investor material lists 2.679 million for Pokémon Scarlet/Pokémon Violet as life-to-date sales, in thousands of units, through the period specified in that report. That is official base-game sales context—not a DLC sales figure or confirmation of development costs. Nintendo’s FY2025 investor report does not corroborate the leaked budget figures or reported DLC sales.
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Are the reported DLC sales numbers official?
No. Leak coverage also reported 6.15 million DLC downloads or copies in the first ten months; Insider Gaming said this represented 25% of game owners. These are leak-derived claims, not official Nintendo DLC sales data. The reviewed investor report does not verify them, so they should not be treated as confirmed sales totals.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How to read the comparison
- Planned budget versus reported final cost: the reported increase from ¥500 million to ¥1,423 million supports describing a substantial overrun, if the leak’s figures are accurate.
- DLC versus full game: the detailed reported amounts put the expansions below Legends: Arceus, rather than at the same cost.
- Leak versus official disclosure: the cited figures are attributed to leak posts or documents; the reviewed official material does not confirm them.
- Comparable accounting: the reports do not establish whether both figures include the same categories of expense, so even the numerical comparison may not be like for like.
The amounts are reported in yen. Keeping them in their original currency avoids implying a dollar equivalent without specifying an exchange-rate date and conversion method. Nor do these estimates, on their own, support comparisons with Western AAA budgets, which may differ in scope, accounting, geography, and treatment of marketing.
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