Spoiler warning: Pokémon Legends: Z-A leaks have started ahead of its release
The game is being streamed on Twitch while datamined Pokédex lists are being shared
Players looking to start playing Pokémon Legends: Z-A without having anything spoiled for them will now have to be extra vigilant.
Although the game isn’t due to be released until October 16, copies of the game – including unauthorised copies circulating on illegal ROM sites – have started making their way into players’ hands.
As a result, players have been datamining every aspect of the game, from the complete list of Mega Evolutions to every Pokémon‘s stats and move learnsets, to lists of every item in the game.
Some players have also started streaming the game on Twitch – while writing this article, VGC checked Twitch and saw numerous players streaming the game.
Players looking to avoid such spoilers, then, may want to be more careful when using social media until they’re able to get hold of their own copy.
Pokémon Legends: Z-A will be released on Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2 on October 16, marking the series’ official debut on Switch 2.
The game is the second entry in the Pokémon Legends series, following the critically acclaimed Pokémon Legends: Arceus, which was released in 2022.
While Pokémon Legends: Arceus sees the player travelling back through time to visit the Hisui region long before the events of Pokémon Diamond and Pearl, Pokémon Legends: Z-A is instead set in the modern era and takes players to Lumiose City from Pokémon X & Y.
According to Nintendo, the Switch 2 Edition of Pokémon Legends Z-A has an improved frame rate and “higher resolution for sharper graphics”.
VGC’s Pokémon Legends: Z-A hands-on report last month stated that just an hour with the game was enough to make it clear that it was making big changes to the series.
“When a new traditional Pokémon RPG is released, fans typically know what they’re getting into,” we wrote. “Sure, there will be new Pokémon to surprise them, and perhaps the gym formula will be refreshed, but it won’t blow their mind.
“The most exciting thing about Pokémon Legends Z-A is that we have absolutely no idea what’s left to discover in the final game, and we can’t wait to find out.”
