Pokémon Legends: Z-A is doing a lot to win fans over ahead of its release by showing off new features and highlighting Pokémon getting new Mega Evolutions. But
Pokémon Legends: Z-A is doing a lot to win fans over ahead of its release by showing off new features and highlighting Pokémon getting new Mega Evolutions. But some of that goodwill is going straight out the window now that it appears some Mega Pokémon will be locked behind online battles or DLC, at least temporarily.
In one of the most recent trailers for Pokémon Legends: Z-A, we finally got Mega Evolutions for the three original Kalos Starters, Chesnaught, Delphox and Greninja. However, The Pokémon Company later confirmed that there is no way to unlock access to those Mega Pokémon in the main game, leading to players being baffled by the decision to lock away Megas in any way—especially new ones.Following the reveal of Mega Chesnaught, Mega Delphox and Mega Greninja during the September 2025 Nintendo Direct, The Pokémon Company released more details about each Pokémon and what Mega Evolution does to their species. Along with that, it was confirmed that none of these Megas will be obtainable through “normal gameplay,” according to As shown on the official Legends: Z-A website, Mega Stones for Mega Chesnaught, Mega Delphox and Mega Greninja will, as of now, only be available as. This means players must purchase Nintendo Switch Online and compete in Ranked Battles if they want any chance to unlock these new Mega Evolutions. “The Mega Stones required to Mega Evolve Chesnaught, Delphox, and Greninja can be obtained from the the Z-A Battle Club as rewards for battling other Trainers in online Ranked Battles,” the website reads. “Ranked Battles offer three types of rewards: battle rewards obtainable after each battle, promotion rewards obtainable upon rising in rank, and season rewards—which vary by rank—obtainable at the end of each season. Keep battling and refining your skills to try to get a variety of rewards. Mega Stones for Mega Chesnaught, Mega Delphox, and Mega Greninja can only be obtained as rewards for being promoted up the ranks.” According to the listing, Mega Greninja Greninjite will be the Ranked Battles Season 1 reward starting on Oct. 16, Season 2 will offer the Delphoxite, and the Chesnaughtite will be a reward in Season 3. No specific rank requirements or other details have been shared yet.This decision is widely being panned by fans, as locking Pokémon behind specific modes, especially online features that won’t appeal or be readily accessible to everyone, limits which players can use them while playing the game. For popular Pokémon like Starters, and one of the most popular Pokémon of all-time, Greninja, this is just extra salt in the wound.Will Mega Pokémon be Locked in Pokémon Legends Z-A Mega Dimension DLC?ahead of the game’s official release. Mega Dimensions will be the first major DLC for a game in the Pokémon Legends style, and it will launch in two waves. Mega Dimension will have a set of themed apparel available for players who purchase the DLC right when Legends: Z-A launches on Oct. 16. New story content is currently slated to launch on Feb. 28, 2026, which will include more encounters with new Mega Pokémon like Mega Raichu X and Mega Raichu Y. It will cost an additional $30. According to TPC, “Mega Raichu X and Mega Raichu Y can be encountered by meeting specific conditions,” which likely means these Megas are locked to the DLC outside of trades or future activations. There might be even more Pokémon encounters locked to the DLC too, though we won’t know for sure until we see more from the post-launch roadmap.put it best when he, and many others, called announcing DLC before the main game is even out is “diabolical.” Regardless of how it is done, locking Pokémon behind online or paid content will inherently keep some players from being able to access them. This won’t matter for, which means a lot for the competitive scene, but it will stop certain Pokémon from being used by players who might want to use them. Putting popular Starter Mega Evolutions as Ranked Rewards for Legends: Z-A feels like a cheap move by The Pokémon Company to try and get players to give the online Battle Club a shot. The developers should incentivize players to try the mode by offering unique rewards and content, but gatekeeping Mega Pokémon with a ranked mode and paid online is pushing it. Unless the requirements for getting those Mega Stones are cheap, this could end up negatively impacting the game for some players. It isn’t as egregious for TPC to lock Pokémon behind DLC, as this has been something happening since Sword and Shield, and to an extent, since the franchise’s inception due to version exclusivity. Even if the whole thing still feels a bit odd since we got the reveal before the game is even out.
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