The Pokémon Company debuted a detailed Pokémon Legends: Z-A trailer during its Pokémon Day broadcast on Thursday, its first big update on the game since it was revealed during last year’s event.
As the name suggests, Pokémon Legends: Z-A is an expansion of the Pokémon Legends series, which began in 2022 with the launch of Pokémon Legends: Arceus — a spinoff game set in a far past version of the Sinnoh region. Pokémon Legends: Z-A, on the other hand, looks to be a future version of the Kalos region. Specifically, the game centers around Lumiose City, the Parsian-inspired city from Pokémon X and Pokémon Y.
Here’s how The Pokémon Company describes it on its website:
The story is set in Lumiose City, where an urban redevelopment plan is underway to shape the city into a place that belongs to both people and Pokémon. Compared to Lumiose City as it appeared in the Pokémon X and Pokémon Y games, released in 2013, more greenery now adorns the city, alongside facilities with a cutting-edge feel.
In Lumiose City, spaces frequented by people—such as shopping arcades, cafés, and restaurants—coexist with more natural areas, such as waterfronts and verdant parks. At the center of Lumiose stands Prism Tower, the very symbol of the city.
We’ll enter Lumiose City as the player on a sightseeing trip, staying in an old hotel that’s the new home base. There are “wild zones” around the city where Pokémon and humans live in harmony; that’s where you’ll battle and catch Pokémon, too.
Chikorita, Tepig, and Totodile are the three starters in Pokémon Legends: Z-A. The Pokémon Company said there’s a new style of battle, with different reach and areas of effect, which implies positioning is more important than ever. From The Pokémon Company’s website:
In previous titles in the Pokémon video game series, Pokémon took action once per turn. In Pokémon Legends: Z‑A, Trainers and their Pokémon will move around in real time during battles, and Pokémon will unleash their moves when their Trainers command them to.
In addition to type matchups, there will be new gameplay mechanics to consider, such as the precise timing for swapping out your Pokémon or using moves, the different lengths of time moves will take to launch, and how big an area the moves will impact. This unprecedented style of Pokémon battling is one of the most thrilling parts of this title.
Of course, there are Mega Evolutions, too — making Pokémon even more powerful. It’s a battle mechanic that’s beloved by the Pokémon community, and a welcome addition back to the franchise.
Since Pokémon Legends: Z-A’s reveal in 2024, fans of the series have speculated on its relation to Pokémon X and Y. There are several reasons for that connection beyond just the region it’s set in, like the fact that Pokémon X and Y never got a customary third version, and because those games have an important character named AZ. There are a lot of unanswered questions from Pokémon X and Y, and fans of the franchise are hoping that Pokémon Legends: Z-A could answer some of them. For a year, all that’s been speculation, but a new look at the game could start to tease out answers to those questions.
On the game’s website, The Pokémon Company gave a deeper peek at AZ, who is indeed in the game: He’s the owner of the hotel and “claims to be three thousand years old.” With him lives the Eternal Flower Floette, who accompanies AZ and also apparently is 3,000 years old.
Unfortunately, there’s still no release date available — just that it’s coming in late 2025.
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