Pokemon Legends: Z-A's Early DLC Reveal Was a Shocker, But…

Despite being a cross-gen title, Pokemon Legends: Z-A will arguably be Nintendo's biggest release for the Switch 2 this holiday. Set in Lumiose City, a location prominently featured in Pokemon X and Y, Legends: Z-A is a successor of sorts to Pokemon Legends: Arceus, which takes place in the historical Hisui region. Aside from sharing a few common traits, however, the game has no direct connection to Legends: Arceus, from either a gameplay or story standpoint. Unlike its predecessor, it will feature a real-time battle system, somewhat reminiscent of the one found in the Xenoblade Chronicles series. The game, interestingly, will also take place in the future, sometime after the events of Pokemon X and Y.

When Pokemon Legends: Z-A is released worldwide in October, it will be available on two different platforms: the Nintendo Switch and the Nintendo Switch 2. The original Switch version of the game costs $60, while the Switch 2 edition costs $70, like most modern AAA games. Players who own the Switch version of Pokemon Legends: Z-A can upgrade to the Switch 2 port for an additional $10. That upgrade, however, isn't the only extra thing that players can buy, as the game is also going to get a major paid expansion in the near future.

Fans can get a $10 discount on the Switch version of Pokemon Legends: Z-A by purchasing the game using a Switch Online Game Voucher.

Pokemon Legends: Z-A is Getting a Major DLC Just a Few Months After Its Launch

During last week's Nintendo Direct, Game Freak shockingly revealed that Pokemon Legends: Z-A would receive an all-new DLC titled Mega Dimension shortly after its launch. This DLC, which takes place right after the events of the main game, will revolve around the Mythical Pokemon Hoopa, who causes mayhem in Lumiose City after it opens up portals to a mysterious dimension known as Hyperspace Lumiose. While their role in the story is unclear, two new Mega Evolutions for Raichu, Mega Raichu X and Mega Raichu Y, will also be featured prominently in Mega Dimension.

Pokemon Legends: Z-A's Mega Dimension expansion will be released in two parts. The first part of the DLC will be available with the game at launch, and it will include two Holo-X and Holo-Y apparel items that players can use to customize their Pokemon character. The second part of the DLC, which will be released sometime before February 28, 2026, will feature all the aforementioned post-game story content. While players can pre-order Mega Dimension on the Nintendo eShop right now, it will cost them an astounding $30, which is basically half the price of the base game.

Those who buy the Mega Dimension DLC before February 28 will get an e-mail with a code for a Luxurious Poke Ball Set that can be used in the game.

pokemon legends z-a raichu mega evolutions

The Mega Dimension DLC's Early Announcement Has Earned the Ire of a Lot of Fans

Unsurprisingly, the reactions to the Mega Dimension expansion have not been particularly positive on social media. Many gamers are upset, not necessarily at the existence of the DLC, but rather at the fact that it was announced before Pokemon Legends: Z-A had even been released. In some fans' eyes, the premature reveal of this DLC gives off the impression that the content it features was originally cut from the base game, and is now being sold piecemeal by Game Freak in order to make a quick buck on players. Fans aren't even sure if Legends: Z-A will be a good game yet, so this, according to them, seems like an act of greed more than anything else.

pokemon-legends-z-a-mega-evolutions-nintendo-direct-game-rant-3

This is the First Time Game Freak Has Announced DLC for a Pokemon Game Before Its Release

Up until now, Game Freak had never revealed a major expansion for a mainline Pokemon game prior to its initial debut. Pokemon Sword and Shield's Expansion Pass and Pokemon Scarlet and Violet's The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero DLCs were unveiled by the company months after the games' respective launches. It seems strange, then, that it decided to buck this trend with Pokemon Legends: Z-A and start charging money for DLCs of games that haven't been released yet. In order to regain the trust of its fanbase, Game Freak needs to convince fans that Mega Dimension has enough content to justify its price of admission. Otherwise, a lot of Pokemon Legends: Z-A players will likely avoid buying this DLC altogether.

Rating block community and brand ratings Image