News Pokémon Legends Z-A announced for Nintendo Switch, releasing in 2025

[Beelzemontheworld]

Lumiose city segmented into 5 sectors for 5 exploratory zones like PLA?

Maybe it’s undeveloped and you need to catch Pokémon in each zone to understand their habits and needs so you can properly build each city sector to suit the Pokémon found in each zone?

With modern Lumiose having 5 routes leaving it to go to other parts of the region that could make sense with Pokémon from the outer parts of the region being present in the respective sector of what will become Lumiose City?

Edit: the use of redevelopment really makes it feel like it’s more modern though…. Maybe redevelopment after it’s destroyed by dome disaster or war or something ???

 

[Luggage]

Wait… 2025?

Is this a strong indicator that Prime 4 is Nintendo’s big game this year? Everyone said Pokemon alone would be enough to carry the holidays, but now that it’s 2025 there must be something else.

 

[Hauke_von_Arding]

We don't even know WHEN it will release 2025. I don't think it will be early 2025. The trailer showed way less than the Arceus trailer in the Februar 2021 direct. Also the Arceus trailer said 'early 2022' this trailer just says '2025'. I think THIS will be their 2025 game and Gen 10 will be 2026 during their 10th anniversary.

 

[Jahranimo]

Unova boys I am so hurt

As a fellow Gen 5 stan this is the better outcome.

XY had their lore potential squandered back then. This was a good announcement!

 

[Leo]

I pointed out over and over again here that it’s too early for Unova remakes. “But Khu”—Khu is clearly full of shit now. And regardless, there was never any good reason to believe that Unova remakes were gonna be announced here, anyway. There’s no way TPC would increase the pace of releasing remakes, putting themselves into a situation where they’ll eventually catch up to the current generation and run out of games to remake. That was never going to happen. Unova remakes will come 5+ years after BD/SP at the earliest (so 2026 or later).

Stop expecting remakes outside of the typical release window for them, and you’ll save yourself a lot of disappointment.

I am pleasantly surprised that the game that was announced was a Kalos Legends game, though! That was definitely my most wanted region for a new Legends game (because Kalos needs it more than any other region, honestly, lol).

So much of the Pokémon fan base frustration is because of unrealistic expectations. We are already seeing it happening again with people expecting Legends Z-A to be cross gen with Switch 2 lol same song and dance we saw with SuMo and "Stars".

 

[AllEchse]

It could be catching all wild Pokémon within kuki ode boundaries so they can continue to expand it.

Essentially it starts as pretty run down rural town but slowly you get rid of all the antiretroviral and Pokémon to build a big city.

That’s a positive message if I’ve ever seen one

But wouldn't that shrink the area where we could actually find Pokémon over the course of the game?
SOme nature still has to remain, I just wonder how they'll handle that.

 

[Pokemaniac]

That's unexpected, but not necessarily unwelcome, though the lack of month on that release date leaves things distressingly open to them trying to squeeze Gen 10 into 2025 as well.

Kalos had a lot of unfinished business due to Z getting cancelled originally, so it'll be nice to get that all finally taken care of properly.

 

[Zemya]

Even if it's cross gen the only difference will be framerate so I have no expectations there, outside that I have some hopes...

 

[Jafin]

Personally I am feeling like this is a game set maybe in the not too distant future. The whole trailer just gave me far more futuristic vibes than it did historic ones. This is further compounded by the use of "redevelopment plan" rather than "development plan", like they're just improving the existing city. I could be wrong of course, none of us knows for sure, but that's just the feeling I got. I'm thoroughly excited to be getting another Legends game though, and I love that this absolutely came out of left field and isn't at all what anybody was expecting.

 

[Beelzemontheworld]

I’m torn

I want it set in the past so the focus can remain on the exploration and catching and Pokédex filling

But it seems modern and if it’s modern maybe they could more justifiably retcon mega evolutions into being full evolutions or Kalosian forms, which I think they should do because I like a lot of the designs and don’t want them left in another game as we move forward looks longingly at Mega Banette

 

[Puikko]

What if it's in the past, during the war era, but things are seemingly futuristic anyways because the war was 3000 years ago? Plenty of time for the Pokemon world to nuke itself to stone age and get back to where it is now ...

 

[Tye]

So much of the Pokémon fan base frustration is because of unrealistic expectations. We are already seeing it happening again with people expecting Legends Z-A to be cross gen with Switch 2 lol same song and dance we saw with SuMo and "Stars".

It happens every. Fucking. Time. And especially with remakes. Seems almost every year people are expecting remakes for whatever games are next in line, even when it’s clearly far too soon for that to be in the cards. You’d think people would learn by now, but the cycle continues…

Honestly, though, I am curious about the potential of Legends Z-A being cross gen. It’s certainly more plausible than with typical main series Pokémon games, since Legends is a single player game, and it does feel unusual that they’re announcing the game this far out, so I could believe that it’s going to be cross gen and was originally due to be released this year but got pushed to 2025 along with the rumored delay of the new system. That said, I’m not gonna be absolutely expecting that to be the case, of course, just a possibility.

 

[Djehuty]

But wouldn't that shrink the area where we could actually find Pokémon over the course of the game?
SOme nature still has to remain, I just wonder how they'll handle that.

Yes, if it is taking pace in the haussian redevelopment then we are probably saying by to wildlife yes to polluting the environment.

Hell yeah Industrial Revolution.

Simply put I think Pokémon catching. Will be not emphasized as much,

 

[MisterSpo]

Could be a pretty timely Pokemon game if it's about redeveloping urban spaces to deal with natural disaster, climate change, and rehabilitating complex ecosystems. Can't wait for the Wokemon headlines!

 

[Zemya]

After ORAS I was already hesitant but after BDSP I couldn't care less for remakes anymore, I have all the original games available anyways

 

[Pokemaniac]

I pointed out over and over again here that it’s too early for Unova remakes. “But Khu”—Khu is clearly full of shit now. And regardless, there was never any good reason to believe that Unova remakes were gonna be announced here, anyway. There’s no way TPC would increase the pace of releasing remakes, putting themselves into a situation where they’ll eventually catch up to the current generation and run out of games to remake. That was never going to happen. Unova remakes will come 5+ years after BD/SP at the earliest (so 2026 or later).

Stop expecting remakes outside of the typical release window for them, and you’ll save yourself a lot of disappointment.

I am pleasantly surprised that the game that was announced was a Kalos Legends game, though! That was definitely my most wanted region for a new Legends game (because Kalos needs it more than any other region, honestly, lol).

They'd never catch up if they stuck to one remake per generation, like it seemed like they might be doing to keep up the annual releases.

 

[Beelzemontheworld]

Could be a pretty timely Pokemon game if it's about redeveloping urban spaces to deal with natural disaster, climate change, and rehabilitating complex ecosystems. Can't wait for the Wokemon headlines!

Or it could be about putting a parking lot and 4-lane highway through a breathtakingly beautiful meadow full of flora and fauna

 

[goldrogerii]

 

[Apopheniac]

I feel like if PLZA was an early 2025 title, they would have specified, since that's something The Pokémon Company has done with announcements in recent years. SV was announced as Late 2022, PLA was Early 2022, BDSP was Late 2021, SwSh was Late 2019, etc. The last time they only gave a year was SuMo's trailer being given a 2016 date.

Maybe it's just me hoping really hard, but giving PLZA a vague 2025 date tells me that we shouldn't expect it within Nintendo's FY25 fiscal year and that it could very well end up being a Holiday 2025 release.

I don't think it'll necessarily be January like Arceus was, but there'd be no reason to show it today if they were targeting Holiday 25. I'd expect, like, May at the latest, personally.

 

[korok]

Based on that trailer, I don't see that game releasing any earlier than 18 months out.

I'd bet on this being a holiday 2025 game.

Sun and Moon were announced in February 2016 for a November 2016 release without a single second of footage. That doesn't mean much. This game is one year away at the earliest, they have plenty of time to show it.

 

[Magic-Man]

So much of the Pokémon fan base frustration is because of unrealistic expectations. We are already seeing it happening again with people expecting Legends Z-A to be cross gen with Switch 2 lol same song and dance we saw with SuMo and "Stars".

Oh come on, this is completely different. The 3DS had 3D graphics, so cross-gen with the DS wouldn't be easy. The Switch was a completely different kind of system from the 3DS, so cross-gen never made sense there either. This is different. It's a successor system with very little game altering changes to the hardware itself. All Game Freak has to do is optimize some settings.

 

[9-Volt]

What great news to wake up to. Pokémon Unity (NOT Pokémon in Unity, thank god)! In the wake of Kalosian Revolution, we fight against the tyranny of the poké-monarchy and catch every opressed pokémon available! Raise the barricades, wave the flag and become the baroque champion!

Hoping for Pokémon version of Napoleon as the villain. All baby pokémon team, short as f.

 

[Suswave]

Excuse me, what the fuck happened to Unova

all gone :)

 

[Serif]

The possibilities of cross-gen / enhanced BC are different now. Past BC used bits of the previous hardware onboard so there was limited opportunity for enhancements besides GS being in color. Developing theoretical cross-gen versions of past Pokemon games would have required more porting work due to hardware differences between generations, like that hypothetical Pokemon 'Stars' which would have essentially been an entire port of Sun/Moon to Switch.

Switch 2 will most likely used a software based form of BC. Besides that, modern game engines are more scalable and the Switch 2 is not a radically different architecture, so the work of 'porting' Legends Z-A to Switch 2 wouldn't be as time consuming. Depending on release date, I wouldn't rule out a Switch 2 SKU of the game with the primary difference being graphical settings like resolution, framerate, level of detail, shadows, etc.

 

[Apopheniac]

I was gonna say "March 25 sounds like a good target" but if that's when we're expecting Switch 2 then probably not. Maybe uncertainty around that is why they didn't want to more specific

 

[Sander RX]

Yes, if it is taking pace in the haussian redevelopment then we are probably saying by to wildlife yes to polluting the environment.

Hell yeah Industrial Revolution.

Simply put I think Pokémon catching. Will be not emphasized as much,

What if wild Pokemon will be “stray” Pokemon, like stray cats and dogs or pidgeons or rats or racoons.

 

[Aostia82]

New Legends lets goooooo!!!!!

smart post

 

[Use_the_Falchion]

New Pokémon Legends makes me happy. Unova being skipped over makes me less happy, but I'm very interested in what Legends Z-A will be, as well with the 2025 release date. Making it a Switch 2 exclusive could really help Switch 2 sales!

EDIT: With marketing saying it's coming to Nintendo Switch, it clearly won't be a Switch 2 Exclusive.

 

[Paxie]

I don't think it'll necessarily be January like Arceus was, but there'd be no reason to show it today if they were targeting Holiday 25. I'd expect, like, May at the latest, personally.

They would have a reason: they have nothing for this year so they might as well announce this early with a blowout in Pokemon Day 2025.

 

[Leo]

Oh come on, this is completely different. The 3DS had 3D graphics, so cross-gen with the DS wouldn't be easy. The Switch was a completely different kind of system from the 3DS, so cross-gen never made sense there either. This is different. It's a successor system with very little game altering changes to the hardware itself. All Game Freak has to do is optimize some settings.

The sooner you realize GF is summarized by this meme, the better

 

[carlosfilho]

Hmmmmm interesting

 

[Weebos]

Here's a big fat list of Pokemon that could be in the game, based on the Kalos Pokemon, Mega Evolutions, and Pokemon featured in the trailer.

Spoiler: Big ol' list

Source	Pokemon
Kalos	Chespin
	Quilladin
	Chesnaught
	Fennekin
	Braixen
	Delphox
	Froakie
	Frogadier
	Greninja
	Bunnelby
	Diggersby
	Fletchling
	Fletchinder
	Talonflame
	Scatterbug
	Spewpa
	Vivillon
	Litleo
	Pyroar
	Flabébé
	Floette
	Florges
	Skiddo
	Gogoat
	Pancham
	Pangoro
	Furfrou
	Espurr
	Meowstic
	Honedge
	Doublade
	Aegislash
	Spritzee
	Aromatisse
	Swirlix
	Slurpuff
	Inkay
	Malamar
	Binacle
	Barbaracle
	Skrelp
	Dragalge
	Clauncher
	Clawitzer
	Helioptile
	Heliolisk
	Tyrunt
	Tyrantrum
	Amaura
	Aurorus
	Sylveon
	Hawlucha
	Dedenne
	Carbink
	Goomy
	Sliggoo
	Goodra
	Klefki
	Phantump
	Trevenant
	Pumpkaboo
	Gourgeist
	Bergmite
	Avalugg
	Noibat
	Noivern
	Xerneas
	Yveltal
	Zygarde
	Diancie
	Hoopa
	Volcanion
Eevee	Eevee
	Vaporeon
	Jolteon
	Flareon
	Espeon
	Umbreon
	Leafeon
	Glaceon
Mega	Bulbasaur
	Ivysaur
	Venusaur
	Charmander
	Charmeleon
	Charizard
	Squirtle
	Wartortle
	Blastoise
	Weedle
	Kakuna
	Beedrill
	Pidgey
	Pidgeotto
	Pidgeot
	Abra
	Kadabra
	Alakazam
	Slowpoke
	Slowbro
	Gastly
	Haunter
	Gengar
	Onix
	Kangaskhan
	Scyther
	Pinsir
	Magikarp
	Gyarados
	Aerodactyl
	Mewtwo
	Mareep
	Flaafy
	Ampharos
	Slowking
	Steelix
	Scizor
	Heracross
	Houndour
	Houndoom
	Larvitar
	Pupitar
	Tyranitar
	Treecko
	Grovyle
	Sceptile
	Torchic
	Combusken
	Blaziken
	Mudkip
	Marshtomp
	Swampert
	Ralts
	Kirlia
	Gardevoir
	Sableye
	Mawile
	Aron
	Lairon
	Aggron
	Meditite
	Medicham
	Elektrike
	Manectric
	Carvanha
	Sharpedo
	Numel
	Camerupt
	Swablu
	Altaria
	Shuppet
	Banette
	Absol
	Snorunt
	Glalie
	Bagon
	Shelgon
	Salamence
	Beldum
	Metang
	Metagross
	Latias
	Latios
	Rayquaza
	Buneary
	Lopunny
	Gible
	Gabite
	Garchomp
	Riolu
	Lucario
	Snover
	Abomasnow
	Gallade
	Froslass
	Audino
	Kleavor
Primal	Kyogre
	Groudon
Trailer	Ekans
	Arbok
	Pikachu
	Raichu
	Bellsprout
	Weepinbell
	Victreebell
	Staryu
	Starmie
	Dratini
	Dragonair
	Dragonite
	Hippopotas
	Hippowdon
	Sandile
	Krokorok
	Krookodile

That is 196 potential inclusions, not including forms.

 

[Starphanluke]

I firmly believe this will have Switch 2 enhancements (could even be a launch game), and the first gameplay will be shown at Switch 2 reveal.

 

[pinetree]

It'll be ironic if a Kalos game is the one to force gamefreak to bring back map design by the necessity of making a single city interesting enough for a whole game.

 

[crepuscule]

For those thinking the "Nintendo Switch systems" wording implies a Switch 2 release someone in the hardware thread found that the same wording was also used for Detective Pikachu 2. So yeah it means nothing.

Idk about you but I’ve been enjoying Detective Pikachu Returns™ on my Switch 2

 

[Hocot8]

Excited for mega evolutions cause I think that was one of the best mechanics added to the games cause it actually gave us new Pokemon/pokemon designs(however you want to identify megas as). Interested in the premise of this game and I guess Zygarde will finally have a a big role. I'm both disappointed and happy with a 2025 release instead of a holiday 2024 one lmao. God I hope it just runs well. I dont care about textures of fucking hills and mountains. I just want decent performance while I'm catching Pokemon lol.

Wait… 2025?

Is this a strong indicator that Prime 4 is Nintendo’s big game this year? Everyone said Pokemon alone would be enough to carry the holidays, but now that it’s 2025 there must be something else.

no. Pokemon does what it wants. They release games when they choose to. This says nothing about Nintendo fall/holiday offerings other than maybe it's gonna be lighter than normal since Pokemon always shows up one way or another.

So much of the Pokémon fan base frustration is because of unrealistic expectations. We are already seeing it happening again with people expecting Legends Z-A to be cross gen with Switch 2 lol same song and dance we saw with SuMo and "Stars".

It's not even remotely the same lol.

 

[Tye]

They'd never catch up if they stuck to one remake per generation, like it seemed like they might be doing to keep up the annual releases.

So far remakes have consistently been one per system, not one per generation. Doesn’t mean they have to strictly stick to that, of course, but if there’s one thing TPC is very consistent with, it’s the release times between new generations (every 3-4 years) and remakes (every 5+ years). But there were many reasons to not believe Unova remakes were coming and the previous release pattern was just one of those reasons.

Honestly, the bigger reason to me was that they literally just gave Unova a ton of love in The Indigo Disk—why would they do that if they were planning on releasing Unova remakes so soon after? Most people seemed to think that was a “hint” or something, but no, that never made any sense.

Besides, Pokémon hasn’t always had yearly releases, and it used to be not too uncommon for there to be an off year. Plus, y’know, after BD/SP was rushed out in the state it released in, I would assume TPC wouldn’t want to repeat that same mistake and rush out Unova remakes just to fulfill a quota of having a yearly release.

 

[Regulus Tera]

I will say this, Legends Arceus came out in 2022. Three years is not that long in current game development, so I’m skeptical it won’t be a technical mess.

 

[Paxie]

It's hilarious how the COO put out that statement about how they're trying to figure how to keep up the release schedule while maintaining quality before instantly (and rightfully) deciding they couldn't.

 

[Ab]

Yeah but we will likely not be getting a Legends Unova remake

and I wouldn't put it past TCPi to outsource the remakes again

It feels like Unova is going to get done the dirtiest

Why wouldn't we get a Legends Unova? I don't see how there's a pattern yet for Legends games. I doubt there also not going to make Legends games for Gen 3 and prior because Legends Arceus was after that

 

[Earthbounder]

I came here desperate to see the game, since I didn't see the presentation, only to come out somewhat disappointed it's basically just a teaser.

But a new Legends, with improvements in the right places, can be so awesome I'm not gonna complain.

 

[Ab]

I will say this, Legends Arceus came out in 2022. Three years is not that long in current game development, so I’m skeptical it won’t be a technical mess.

Maybe they worked on it a bit before while working on Arcues. I'm really not sure how there devs cycle are lol.

 

[Suswave]

Gen 10 will be 2026 during their 10th anniversary.

damn, Pokémon’s doing pretty good for a franchise that started in 2016…

 

[Serif]

For those thinking the "Nintendo Switch systems" wording implies a Switch 2 release someone in the hardware thread found that the same wording was also used for Detective Pikachu 2. So yeah it means nothing.

These press releases are thoroughly combed over, I don't know why folks ever expect an accidental 'leak' for an unannounced console.

 

[Paxie]

I will say this, Legends Arceus came out in 2022. Three years is not that long in current game development, so I’m skeptical it won’t be a technical mess.

Given how it's just a "2025" with 0 gameplay, they are probably targeting Holiday 2025 which would be closer to 4 years

 

[VolcanicDynamo]

So, I'll be honest, I wasn't necessarily excited by this reveal at first. I like Legends Arceus but not as much as other people do, and I'm not a big fan of Kalos. Mashing those two together, on the surface, doesn't sound like my cup of tea. But from conversations I've had with others, I am more intrigued than I was before.

So, the idea of a single city location could be a nice change of pace. It's like an inverse S/V: One dense location portrayed at a more realistic scale as opposed to a full county scale open world. I hope this means interesting level design. As for the era the game takes place in, someone in the thread pointed out that the game likely takes place during the world's equivalent of Haussmann's renovation of Paris, so relatively contemporaneous with Legends Arceus but in a more urban setting. The idea of using your Pokemon to build up a city could be really engaging, and hopefully it gives more chances to interact with your Pokemon than what we got with Legends Arceus, which felt kinda limited by having less battles and a focus on foraging/crafting. On that note, I wonder how much of the formula will stick around given the radically different setting. Will battles still be de-emphasized, what new mechanics might we see, how will they flesh out a denser but smaller world? There's lots of potential - I really want to see Game Freak nail it, but most Pokemon games have some sort of caveat, so I will go in with baited breath, enough to know I'll have a good time but not enough to think I won't have my issues with it.

(Also, uh, not that I wouldn't like to see mainland Unova again, but I'm gonna assume Game Freak thinks we got our fill with the Indigo Disk and wants to give the next region some love.)

 

[TurtleRock]

This may be a “Switch” game but it’s going to launch day and date with the new hardware. Willing to put money on that. They’d be foolish not to promote this as a cross gen title with enhanced features.

 

[Tye]

Yeah but we will likely not be getting a Legends Unova remake

and I wouldn't put it past TCPi to outsource the remakes again

It feels like Unova is going to get done the dirtiest

Unova, done dirtiest?! Unova is probably the one region that has gotten the best treatment outside of Kanto. It got fucking sequel games, which no other region got! Plus it just featured heavily in Scarlet/Violet’s DLC. And it’ll still get its remake in time, and there’s no reason it can’t get a Legends game, either, since they don’t seem to be going in any particular order for those.

Kalos needs a Legends game much more than Unova, anyway. If you’re talking about regions that were done the dirtiest, Kalos is number one, lol.

 

[Estew]

I expected B/W remakes and expected to not like how they turned out, so I'm really pleased to see something totally different. Loved Legends Arceus, can't wait to see what they've got in store with this one.

 

[aus89]

The press release from TPC is less ambiguous: "Pokémon Legends: Z-A, an ambitious new entry to the Pokémon video game series, will be released simultaneously worldwide on Nintendo Switch in 2025."