Are There Any New Pokémon in POKÉMON LEGENDS: Z-A?

Usually, by now, we’d have gotten at least one tease of about new Pokémon from an upcoming Pokémon game, but there have been only crickets from Pokémon Legends: Z-A. In fact, only six Pokémon are specifically associated with the game on its official website: its starters (Chikorita, Tepig, and Totodile) and Zygarde 10% Forme, 50% Forme, and Complete Forme. Although, of course, we’ve seen more in trailers and the like.

One explanation for this lack of new Pokémon is that Pokémon Legends: Z-A is not considered a “mainline” game in the franchise but is instead seen as a “spinoff” game. Spinoff games in the Pokémon franchise are much less likely to introduce new Pokémon into the universe, since they are not as robust as mainline games. There is some debate about whether this is an accurate categorization for Z-A, but the lack of new Pokémon in Pokémon Legends: Z-A so far does seem to indicate it might be so. There’s also been a suggestion that the “Pokémon Legends” designation indicates a spinoff game in new releases, although Pokémon Legends: Arceus appears to belie that assumption. But none of this has been confirmed officially.

In the end, all we know for sure is that, so far, there are no new Pokémon in Pokémon Legends: Z-A.

Will There Be Any New Regional Forms or Pokémon Evolutions in Pokémon Legends: Z-A?

But even if Pokémon Legends: Z-A is actually a spinoff game and thus contains no new Pokémon, will it have new regional forms or Pokémon evolutions for us? It certainly could, but currently, over a year since its initial announcement, we haven’t seen any new regional forms announced for Lumiose City or any new Pokémon evolutions connected with Pokémon Legends: Z-A. We might still get these when the game releases, but it’s looking increasingly unlikely with only a few months to go before it’s out into the world.

Pokémon Legends: Z-A Will Focus on Mega Evolutions

Ultimately, it seems that Pokémon Legends: Z-A will forgo new Pokémon, new regional forms, and new evolutions in favor of focusing on the idea of Mega Evolutions. While Mega Evolutions can look cool, they don’t change the Pokémon that much, in most cases, and Pokémon do not stay Mega evolved permanently, making the whole affair a bit less fun—for players and those simply watching along, waiting to hear what new kinds of Pokémon a game will bring.

Pokémon Legends: Z-A‘s Release Date and More

Although we’re sad there will most likely be no new Pokémon for us to write up in Pokémon Legends: Z-A, that game still does look like a lot of fun. Pokémon Legends: Z-A will release on October 16, 2025, and pre-orders for it begin on June 5, on the Nintendo eShop.

The official Pokémon Legends: Z-A description shares, “In Lumiose City, you’ll sometimes see Pokémon undergo Mega Evolution—a kind of Evolution that transcends standard Evolution. Effectively using Mega Evolution during battles can dramatically shift the odds of victory in your favor.“