The Pokémon community breathed a collective sigh of relief this week when it was confirmed the next game in the series, Pokémon Legends: Z-A, will not be released until 2025. This announcement followed an eight-year streak of back-to-back Pokémon releases.
Since 2016, Pokémon’s game releases were as follows: Sun & Moon (2016), Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon (2017), Let’s Go, Pikachu! & Let’s Go, Eevee! (2018), Sword & Shield (2019), Sword & Shield DLC (2020), Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl (2021), Legends: Arceus and Scarlet & Violet (2022), and Scarlet & Violet DLC (2023).
This relentless pace led to concerns about the series’ sustainability, with 2022 alone seeing two ambitious Pokémon games from Game Freak. The games’ technical glitches and substandard graphics, particularly in the case of Scarlet & Violet, were widely criticized.
As a long-standing Pokémon fan, I’m relieved to see the series is taking a hiatus, hopefully allowing the developers ample time to address these issues. The fact that Pokémon Legends: Z-A is described as “an ambitious new entry” suggests that Game Freak may be focusing on improving the quality of future games over quantity.
Pokémon Legends: Z-A’s 2025 release date keeps me hopeful that the game developers are listening to fan critique and taking the necessary time to ensure a better gaming experience.
Interestingly, Pokémon Legends: Z-A seems to divert from the tradition of remaking older games in numerical order by focusing on Generation 6’s Kalos region. This leaves us wondering if plans are underway for Generation 5’s Unova.
Lastly, amid speculation about the release of a Nintendo Switch 2, the Legends: Z-A trailer mentioned that it will be available on “Nintendo Switch systems.” However, to read this as a hint about the Switch 2 might be a leap too far. Nintendo is known for its tight control over its messaging, making it unlikely that this could be a premature confirmation of such a significant announcement.
There’s undoubtedly much anticipation for what Pokémon Legends: Z-A will bring. Hopefully, the break in 2024 will allow the developers to deliver a game that rejuvenates the series and delights Pokémon fans worldwide.
What are your thoughts on Pokémon Legends: Z-A? We’d love to hear from you.
Vocabulary List:
- Relief (noun): A feeling of reassurance and relaxation.
- Sustainability (noun): The ability to be maintained over the long term.
- Hiatus (noun): A pause or break in continuity.
- Ambitious (adjective): Having a strong desire and determination to succeed.
- Anticipation (noun): A feeling of excitement about something that is going to happen.
- Speculation (noun): Contemplation or consideration of a subject.
