Z-A is About to Be a Whole New Game on March 11

Pokemon Legends: Z-A got all the remaining Mega Evolutions in the game recently, between Mega Blaziken in Season 7 and the newly revealed and released Mega Garchomp Z. There are seemingly no plans to expand the game further beyond the Mega Dimension DLC, but it’s still being supported with new updates and seasonal content to keep it alive, presumably in order to increase its lifespan to when Pokemon Winds and Waves will debut. This is not going to be easy to do, considering that Pokemon Winds and Waves will launch in 2027 as opposed to later this year, but if Pokemon Legends: Z-A‘s upcoming update is any indication, the foundations are there.

Pokemon Legends: Z-A‘s Mega Dimension DLC does offer a lot of content for those willing to explore every nook and cranny of Hyperspace Lumiose, so it alone can keep players busy for quite some time — especially shiny hunters. However, if you’re looking for strategic fights and a more competitive setting, Ranked Battles is where the magic happens. The competitive scene has gained a lot of traction since launch, with content creators organizing tournaments and Pokemon Legends: Z-A offering new rewards each season. Now, on March 11, a new season launches, and it completely changes what the game has to offer.

All Pokemon Legends Z-A Trade Codes

Some Pokemon can only evolve through trading in Pokemon Legends Z-A, and there are public trade codes you can use to complete your Pokedex.

March 11 is the Start of a New Era for Pokemon Legends: Z-A

Pokemon Legends: Z-A‘s new free Alpha starter gift is a good way to promote Pokemon Home support for when it launches, but in the meantime, fans can enjoy new challenges and rewards in Season 8. Unlike past seasons, which progressively unlocked more and more of the base game and DLC’s Pokedex for use in Ranked Battles, Season 8 has an entirely new ruleset and rewards. It goes as follows:

Players can only use new Mega Evolutions in Pokemon Legends: Z-A and their corresponding Pokemon, which means that only 44 critters (and 45 Mega Evolutions) are legal:
- Meganium
- Emboar
- Feraligatr
- Barbaracle
- Starmie
- Floette (Eternal Flower only)
- Meowstic
- Pyroar
- Raichu
- Clefable
- Scolipede
- Victreebel
- Excadrill
- Garchomp
- Absol
- Lucario
- Eelektross
- Dragonite
- Malamar
- Dragalge
- Froslass
- Hawlucha
- Scrafty
- Chandelure
- Greninja
- Falinks
- Chesnaught
- Skarmory
- Delphox
- Drampa
- Zygarde
- Scovillain
- Glimmora
- Tatsugiri
- Baxcalibur
- Chimecho
- Golisopod
- Golurk
- Staraptor
- Crabominable
- Heatran
- Darkrai
- Magearna
- Zeraora
Players can only use new Mega Stones as held items for the matching Pokemon, and no other item is allowed.
Ranked rewards are exclusively Mega Shards, with 300 at Rank A, 200 from Rank B to E, 100 from Rank F to R, and 50 from Rank S and below.

Who’s That Character?

Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.

Who’s That Character?

Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.

Easy (7.5s)Medium (5.0s)Hard (2.5s)Permadeath (2.5s)

How Pokemon Legends: Z-A’s Season 8 Changes the Game

With only 44 available Pokemon, the meta is going to be quite varied in terms of team compositions, but not so much in terms of which mons will see more usage across the board. Pokemon Legends: Z-A‘s Mega Garchomp Z will most likely dominate the scene due to its powerful base form, and so will the likes of Mega Magearna, Mega Heatran, Mega Darkrai, Mega Golisopod, Mega Excadrill, and Mega Skarmory.

Yet, this is a refreshing ruleset, as popular items like Life Orb, Expert Belt, and Focus Sash will be unavailable. Not only that, but this regulation heavily favors experimenting with the new Mega Evolutions in the game, which is a great departure from previous seasons. In many cases, Mega Evolutions were not used at all, or maybe on one Pokemon per team, as using powerful items with Plus Moves in Pokemon Legends: Z-A was the most optimal choice. As such, this is a great opportunity to play around with the moveset and stats of all the new Mega Evolutions in the game, especially seeing how they will become available in Pokemon Champions to use. This may not be new content per se, but it’s an entirely new era for Z-A.