Pokemon Legends Z-A Release Date Window, Gameplay, And Everything We Know So Far

Game Freak and The Pokemon Company are in an interesting place with the Pokemon series ahead of the launch of Pokemon Legends Z-A. Pokemon Legends: Arceus was a fresh take on Pokemon set in the far past that was well received, if not fully realized, and Pokemon Scarlet and Violet brought a fully realized open world to the mainline series for the first time, along with massive performance problems. Now Game Freak has announced Pokemon Legends: Z-A, the next entry in its experimental Pokemon Legends series. The announcement of Pokemon Legends: Z-A comes two years after the release of Pokemon Legends Arceus, the first game in the Legends spin-off series.

Pokemon Legends: Z-A is taking players back to Lumiose City in Kalos from Pokemon X and Y. The city will feature wild zones, where you can catch Pokemon and at night battle trainers to rise the ranks of the Z-A Royale. The Pokemon Company also shared a few details after the announcement, proving some surprising information about the game. Here's everything we know about Pokemon Legends: Z-A so far.

When Will Pokemon Legends Z-A Be Released?

While an exact date has not been revealed, it was announced that Pokemon Legends: Z-A will release in late 2025. This date was revealed at Pokemon Day 2025 and while the exact release date hasn't been announced, Pokemon games released late in the year typically release in early November, so it's likely that the game could release in that period.

Reports have suggested that the Switch 2 could release in June, although it seems like a guarantee that it will at least release before late 2025, prior to Pokemon Legends: Z-A. Given that Arceus and especially Pokemon Scarlet and Violet were criticized for performance issues, it seems possible tha Z-A could be a cross-gen release, something that we previously saw with Nintendo games like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Twilight Princess. Doing so could allow Legends: Z-A to take advantage of the new console's extra power, but with Nintendo still not having confirmed new hardware, there's no official indication of whether this might happen.

With no exact release date and few other details, Legends: Z-A is not yet available to preorder.

Watch The Pokemon Legends Z-A Trailer Here

Pokemon Legends: Z-A was revealed with this announcement trailer on February 27, 2024. The trailer doesn't include any gameplay, but it does give a stylized look at the setting of Pokemon Legends: Z-A, Lumiose City. It shows a document for the redevelopment of Lumiose City, promising a coexistence of people and Pokemon. It starts with a sketchbook version of some buildings and a Pikachu running, before transitioning into a Tron-like visual style showing off the rest of the city and a number of Pokemon that will be in Pokemon Legends: Z-A.

The Pokemon Company has since released two additional trailers, revealing the exact setting and format of the game. The first trailer focuses on the new battle system, which requires you to think about your positioning in the world during battles and to move around strategically. The second trailer reveals that one of your primary tasks in Pokemon Legends: Z-A is to move up the ranks of the Z-A Royale, a city-wide battle ranking. Both of these trailers feature extensive gameplay, showing off exactly what Lumiose City looks like in Pokemon Legends Z-A.

Pokemon Legends Z-A Platforms

Pokemon Legends Z-A is set to release on Nintendo Switch platforms, according to a tweet from the official Pokemon account. While this confirms that it will be on the current Nintendo Switch, the language could also hint at a possible cross-gen release, similar to when The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild launched on both the Wii U and Nintendo Switch on the same day.

It's important to note that it's been confirmed that the Switch 2 is backwards compatible, so it is possible that Pokemon Legends: Z-A will just be an original Switch game that can be played on the new hardware.

Pokemon Legends Z-A Story, Setting, and Characters

The setting of Pokemon Legends Z-A is Lumiose City in the Kalos region from Pokemon X and Y. However, it's important to note that the game takes place entirely within Lumiose City, according to a tweet from Nintendo. With the two gameplay trailers released since the announcement, we have a better look at what this means. Lumiose City is being renovated as a city where people and Pokemon live together, with wild areas throughout the city where wild Pokemon can be caught. Lumiose City is loosely inspired by Paris, including an Eiffel Tower-like structure in the center of the city.

While plot details are scarce, we have been introduced to some characters. We see the player-character's friends Urbain and Taunie, Quasartico CEO Jett and her bodyguard Vinnie, and the return of AZ--the mysterious former king of Kalos--as the owner of the hotel the player-character stays in during the game. The Quasartico company seems deeply tied to the city's renovation, and there will likely be some colorful characters in the Z-A Royale.

Pokemon Legends Z-A Gameplay

Pokemon Legends: Z-A looks to be an evolution of the gameplay in Legends Arceus, adding more battle mechanics. Catching Pokemon appears to work the same, as you can throw Pokeballs out of combat to catch Pokemon, although you can also battle wild Pokemon to weaken them first.

The battle mechanics are where things differ from Legends: Arceus. In Legends: Z-A, your positioning in battle will matter, requiring you to move around in the environment to avoid attacks or to make sure your attacks land. The Pokemon Company has also confirmed that Mega Evolutions, which first appeared in Pokemon X and Y, are returning in Legends: Z-A.

The city has designated wild zones, where you can find wild Pokemon to catch, although the trailer made it clear that wild Pokemon will still sometimes be found outside of these zones as well. These zones are also where you can battle in the Z-A Royale at night, taking on other trainers using the new positioning system. You can also now start a trainer battle with a sneak attack, giving you an advantage.

Pokemon Legends Z-A Development News

Pokemon Legends: Z-A was announced on February 27, 2024, Pokemon Day, with the official announcement trailer. Nintendo and Game Freak did not share any additional information about the game until the 2025 Pokemon Day, where the game got a narrowed release window and more gameplay was shown. Pokemon Legends: Z-A also appeared at the March Nintendo Direct. As for the next time it could show up, or where it might get a release date, it could get a slow rollout of small updates like Legends: Arceus, or it could appear in another Nintendo Direct. The Pokemon Company does sometimes hold Pokemon Presents presentations in the summer, another time when a release date could be announced.

Pokemon Legends: Arceus was revealed in a similar way, with an announcement trailer that didn't share many details. Instead, small videos were shared during the lead up to its release, like a trailer showing the two clans from the game.