'Pokémon Legends: Z-A' Holds No Space With New Battle System, Starters Reveal In Pokémon Day Presents

What does Pokémon have in store for 2025? Kalos! Battles with 'Pokémon Champions' and more!

You didn’t think I forgot, did you? Well Pokémon celebrated its 29th anniversary on February 27, which has been declared Pokémon Day, and as always, Japan is so gracious to hold annual Pokémon Presents presentations at the very end of the celebrating day, which stateside is various stages of morning. The future of the franchise was revealed, at the very least until next Pokémon Day and there were quite a few surprises.

Starting with what everyone had their minds set on, we got our first update on the next main series game Pokémon Legends: Z-A since last Pokémon Day’s initial announcement. The big finale of the presentation, the 2025 release was confirmed to be one in late 2025, so expect that same weekend in November that in the last 11 years of base games only Legends: Arceus didn’t have because it was released between Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl which had November 2021 and Scarlet and Violet which had November 2022. As the first teaser revealed last year, the game takes place entirely within Lumiose City in Kalos as it undergoes a "high-tech urban redevelopment plan". And that plan, as the new teaser reveals will transform it into a place people and Pokemon can share together. choice of starters is between Chikorita, Tepig, and Totodile, surprising everyone with both remaining starters of the Johto region after Cyndaquil was a Hisuian starter in Legends: Arceus. The player will be traversing and battling on roofs. Moves now have shorter and longer reach and an area of effect, giving positions more importance. The return of Mega Evolution brings with it a timer while regular moves now have cooldown periods. So far, no new Mega Pokémon have been revealed, instead reintroducing at least ten that the sixth generation introduced. Pokemon live in Wild Zones, which appear to be gated by gradually unlocked levels. The new friend, possibly rival is named Urbain or Taunie, presumably based on the player’s chosen gender. Might be to match, as Urbain is male and Taunie female. No matter how many years in the future this takes place, AZ will be there, since he and his special Eternal Flower Floette are immortal. He is now running a hotel. Quasartico Inc. is running the redevelopment. The CEO is a woman named Jett and her secretary is named Vinnie. Fainting apparently does not exist, instead making them dazed with 0 HP so they can still be catchable. At the very end, a promotion match was announced, hinting at something going on in Prism Tower.

'Pokémon Concierge' Will Return; New Episodes In Production

Pokémon Concierge, the Netflix original stop motion series with the franchise’s most star-studded English voice cast yet, had its stay on YouTube, which wraps up tomorrow, March 9, acknowledged. A September 2025 release window for the second season was first revealed here, as well as appearances for Shinx, Arcanine, and Corphish. The Pokémon Go update focused on the then-upcoming weekend’s Go Tour: Unova event, which ended up getting me 10 or 13 shinies depending on what your range is, including a Shiny Kyurem on my last Remote Raid Pass. It also teased the current Might and Mastery event. Pokémon Masters EX introduced Master Sync Pairs of Champion Brendan with Shiny Primal Groudon and Champion May with Shiny Primal Kyogre. The Appletun Fruitlicious Jelly Soda has been added to Pokémon Café Remix, and the event that started February 28 gave player the choice to add Appletun or Flapple to their staff, while the Paldean starters Sprigatito, Fuecoco and Quaxly’s special outfit packs will gradually become available. Logging in day-of would’ve gotten Pikachu’s spring outfit and Eevee’s after three. A Pokémon Sleep event with Cresselia and Darkrai was announced, as were Unite’s additions of Suicune this month, Alolan Raichu next month, and Alcremie soon, and Remoat Stadium will be returning to Range Matches. A new battle mode called First to 500 features Aeos technology that awards points and medals. Map and Pokémon updates are also coming. Scarlet and Violet began mass outbreaks of red-, green-, and blue-colored Pokémon, and a series of Tera Raid Battles rolling out against Meowscarada, Skeledirge, and Quaquaval, as well as a Rotom phone case giveaway, and Mighty Mark pseudo-legendary raids.

Pokemon TCG Pocket added the Arceus-themed Triumphant Light themed booster pack on February 28. This brought cards that also featured Tyranitar, Abomasnow, Rotom, Raichu, Crobat, and more into the game. Ranked Matches will be making their way to the game by the end of the month. The physical Pokémon Trading Card Game teased that Mega ex cards will arrive later in 2025.

The biggest surprise of the Direct was Pokémon Champions, a new multiplayer game in development for Nintendo Switch, but iOS and Android in collaboration between Game Freak and The Pokemon Works that is focused on the franchise’s "core-style battles”. Mega Evolution and Terastalization are seen in an official game together for the first time, which could mean Dynamax and Z-Moves will follow. How many Pokémon will be permitted is unknown but players will be able to connect to Pokémon Home to import and use their favorites.

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Source: IGN