During the latest Pokemon Presents, Game Freak announced its next major Pokemon title – and to the surprise and delight of many, it’s a new Pokemon Legends spin-off, subtitled Z-A. The trailer for the game was fairly vague, with abstract neon Pokemon wandering through a cityscape, although it did reveal the adventure will take place in Lumiose City, the setting of Pokemon X and Y.
It also seemingly confirmed the game will launch for the current Nintendo Switch and the next Nintendo console, colloquially known as the Nintendo Switch 2. While not explicit, the trailer ended on the following phrase: “releasing simultaneously worldwide in 2025.”
As most will know, Nintendo does not release games on third party consoles, so the only real use for “simultaneously” here is to indicate the game will have a dual release on multiple Nintendo consoles. Given popular rumour claims the Nintendo Switch 2 is aiming for a March 2025 release, the timing certainly aligns.
Beyond this tidbit, there’s plenty of other intrigue and theories spinning out of this newly-revealed Pokemon Legends: Z-A game trailer.
Read: Pokemon Legends: Arceus Review – Breath of fresh air
For one thing, its label as a “Legends” game suggests it will be similar in nature to its predecessor, Pokemon Legends: Arceus – a well-received title which invited players to catch Pokemon for research and study, rather than battle. While this game was set in the past, Z-A appears to be set in the present or future, with Lumiose City depicted as a glowing, modern metropolis.
According to Nintendo, the entire game will be set within Lumiose City, with a focussed scope. Players will likely get to explore every nook and cranny in the city, and discover its hidden secrets – and potential links to the plot of Arceus and other Pokemon games. The adventure may reveal more about the lore of Pokemon X and Y, or chart a new course entirely. The possibilities are certainly very intriguing.
Pokemon Legends: Arceus is a brilliant game, and one of the most-loved modern iterations of the Pokemon series. With a fresh gameplay style and more open world exploration, it was highly lauded for trying something new. There is hope Pokemon Legends: Z-A will continue to innovate, building on the blocks of Arceus to introduce a dazzling new Pokemon adventure.
Players will need to remain patient to see more, as the game isn’t due until 2025, but there’s plenty to look forward to in the meantime. Stay tuned for more on Pokemon Legends: Z-A.
