On Pokémon Day 2024, we were treated to a sneak peek at a second entry in the Legends series, Pokémon Legends: Z-A. Promising to be an ambitious new adventure in the world of Pokémon, a lot of questions sprung up after the announcement added it into the list of all upcoming video games. So far, we still have more questions than answers, but some careful investigation and digging have given us a better understanding of what’s in store with this upcoming Switch game. Between Metroid Prime 4: Beyond and Civilization 7 there aren’t that many new Switch games announced so even though it may not be the next generation of Pokémon, there’s a lot to be excited about with this title. Let’s dive into everything we know about it thus far.
Since we’re in a bit of a holding pattern waiting for the Switch 2, you may as well also check out the upcoming PS5 games, upcoming PC games, and upcoming Xbox Series X games.
Release date window
Pokémon Legends: Z-A has a release window of 2025, but that’s all we know for now. The only other little detail given is that it will be a simultaneous worldwide release, which we would’ve expected anyway.
Platforms
It should go without saying, but Pokémon Legends: Z-A will be a Switch exclusive. However, it was specifically stated to be coming to “Nintendo Switch systems,” which may imply a version on the current Switch and another on whatever next-generation console Nintendo is cooking up. Take that with a grain of salt.
Trailers
The reveal trailer for Pokémon Legends: Z-A is brief but does hide some secrets fans have sniffed out. The most obvious is that this game will take us back to Lumiose City, first featured in X and Y. Later, Nintendo clarified that the game will not only be focused on this city but set entirely within it. As to who we are and what we’re doing in the city is still unknown. Fans speculate that the digital and futuristic style of the trailer is hinting at the game being set in the future, contrasting how Arceus was set in the past, but this is all just theorizing.
Gameplay
Being set within a single city is quite a departure from the past Legends game, which introduced us to an open-world-style game. We expect the entire city to be open to us and greatly expanded in scope, but who knows how the mechanics and flow of the game will change to accommodate this.
All we can do is guess, but we don’t expect a massive departure from the gameplay established in Legends Arceus and Scarlet and Violet, though we know that the Mega Evolutions will return here.
Preorder
We are still at least a year away from Pokémon Legends: Z-A, if not more, so preorders are still far off. Once the release date is set and preorders open, count on us to give you all the information.
