Pokémon Legends Z-A Locking Specific Monsters Behind Paywall
Summary
Pokémon Legends Z-A, arriving 16 October, introduces Mega Evolutions for several Kalos starters but ties access to them behind online-ranked seasons and paid content. Chesnaught, Delphox and Greninja’s Mega Stones (Geninjite, Delphoxite and Chesnaughtite) are only obtainable via Z-A Battle Club ranked seasons — which require Nintendo Switch Online — and you must climb ranks within those seasons to unlock them. Separately, new Mega Raichu X/Y will be delivered through paid post-launch DLC. The wider game shifts to real-time combat and revisits Lumiose City, but the paywall details have sparked concern among fans.
Key Points
- Pokémon Legends Z-A launches on 16 October and features Mega Evolutions for Kalos starters and Raichu.
- Geninjite, Delphoxite and Chesnaughtite are rewards tied to ranked seasons in the Z-A Battle Club and require online play to obtain.
- Nintendo Switch Online membership is required to access the online-ranked seasons that unlock these Mega Stones.
- Mega Raichu X and Mega Raichu Y are planned as part of paid DLC released after launch.
- Exact rank requirements per season haven’t been disclosed, so players may need to invest time (or pay) to get these forms.
Content Summary
The article outlines that while early previews praise Z-A’s real-time combat and nostalgic Lumiose City setting, some sought-after Mega Evolutions will not be available through standard single-player progression. Instead, the Kalos trio’s Mega Stones are distributed across ranked seasons in the Z-A Battle Club: Geninjite in season one, Delphoxite in season two and Chesnaughtite in season three. Accessing them requires competing online and climbing the ranks — and online access on Nintendo Switch platforms requires a Nintendo Switch Online subscription. Additionally, Mega Raichu X and Y are slated for paid DLC. The article notes current NSO pricing in the UK and flags growing concerns about extra costs for content that once might have been included in the base game.
Context and Relevance
This matters for players who care about competitive play, collection completion and nostalgia from X & Y: some signature forms are now gated behind subscription-driven and paid routes. It’s part of a larger industry trend where online services and DLC are used to monetise endgame content; for Pokémon fans this shifts how rare forms are earned and could affect community sentiment and competitive balance.
Why should I read this
Short version: if you want the Kalos Mega Evolutions or new Mega Raichu, you’ll either need to grind online ranked seasons (and pay for Nintendo Switch Online) or buy post-launch DLC. If you’re only interested in the single-player campaign, it’s less critical — but it’s worth knowing the extras aren’t freely handed out. We’ve done the reading so you don’t have to dig through announcements.