While Pokemon Legends: Z-A is set to return to Kalos with a focus on Lumiose City and its teased urban redevelopment plans, there's a case to be made that a future Pokemon or even a Pokemon Legends game could revisit another metropolitan hub from previous generations. Unlike its predecessor, Pokemon Legends: Arceus, which reimagined the Sinnoh region as a newfound feudal frontier, Pokemon Legends: Z-A gained interest when it confirmed its different yet equally experimental setting. Centered around Lumiose City instead of the rest of Kalos, Legends: Z-A will be one of the first Pokemon games set in a single city.
Thanks to the most recent trailers and showcases for Legends: Z-A, more has been revealed about how this city backdrop will be incorporated into its story and gameplay, such as the role Quasartico Inc. Will have in Lumiose City's redevelopment and how players will battle trainers via the Royale Z-A. But beyond the upcoming 2025 launch of Legends: Z-A, should its single-city setting prove its creative potential, this could open the door to future games. While Pokemon's Gen 10 might look ahead to an entirely new region, it's possible that another Pokemon Legends could revisit Gen 5's own Castelia City.
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Pokemon's Castelia City Set The Stage For Lumiose City
As the last generation of 2D Pokemon games before the mainline series shifted to 3D with Pokemon X and Y, Castelia City was arguably one of the defining landmarks of Pokemon Black and White. Due to Gen 5's ambitions to revamp Pokemon games, such as an almost entirely new Pokedex or Pokemon's first-ever direct sequels with Black 2 and White 2, Castelia City broke from the series' usual approach of small-scale cities. While Unova was based on New York City overall, it was Castelia City that best embodied the city that never sleeps with its towering skyscrapers, sweeping bridges, and bustling harbors.
From Gen 5 onwards, Game Freak appeared to embrace these metropolitan cities even more, as beyond Legends: Z-A's return to Gen 6's Lumiose City, future Pokemon games would include sprawling cities like Pokemon Sword and Shield's Hammerlocke and Wyndon or Pokemon Scarlet and Violet's Mesagoza and Levincia. However, Pokemon's latest large-scale cities have benefited from improvements in hardware with consoles like the Switch, something that Lumiose City can benefit from in Legends: Z-A after its original 3DS debut. But locations like Lumiose City may never have existed were it not for Gen 5's Castelia City serving as a proof-of-concept for metropolitan hubs in future games.
Pokemon Legends: Z-A's Lumiose City Can Return The Favor For Castelia City
Ahead of Legends: Z-A release later this year, Game Freak has revealed a map of Lumiose City alongside initial gameplay to demonstrate how the game will utilize its single-city setting, such as wild Pokemon appearing even on rooftops and a rework of Pokemon's traditional day-night cycle. Additional trailers have also potentially hinted at how Legends: Z-A will feature Zygarde and its cell-collecting into Lumiose City's design, especially as the game appears to be the spiritual successor to Gen 6's X and Y. However, leading up to Legends: Z-A's announcement, Pokemon players had anticipated the upcoming game to be set in a different region.
Between the expectation of Black and White remakes and rumors that the next Pokemon Legends game would focus on either Gens 2 or 5, the specific reveal of Legends: Z-A's Lumiose City setting had been a surprise. But looking back, this could be part of Game Freak's long-term strategy to break from its remake cycle and instead return to Unova in a future Pokemon Legends game. Combining Legends: Arceus' historical backdrop with Legends: Z-A's single-city approach, the next Pokemon Legends game might adapt New York City's Gilded Age to revisit the rise of Castelia City, as seen in Black and White.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 79 /100 Critics Rec: 66%
- Released
- October 16, 2025
- ESRB
- Everyone 10+ / Fantasy Violence, In-Game Purchases
- Developer(s)
- Game Freak, Creatures Inc.
- Publisher(s)
- Nintendo, The Pokemon Company
