Summary

  • Pokemon Legends: Z-A is highly anticipated as the next mainline game, but its release date is still vague, leaving room for other titles.
  • Fans are feeling the gap in the series with the wait for Legends: Z-A, set to release in 2025, possibly as late as December.
  • While a Pokemon remake seems unlikely, spin-offs like Pokemon Snap and Mystery Dungeon could fill the gap until Legends: Z-A arrives.

Pokemon Legends: Z-A is one of the most anticipated games coming down the line, considering it is set to be the next mainline game in the massively popular series. Furthermore, its status as the second entry in the Legends series makes it seem all the more promising. However, its official release date is still somewhat vague, and may leave room for other Pokemon titles.

Pokemon Legends: Z-A is currently the only major release scheduled for the Pokemon series. Pokemon fans are certainly fed plenty, with the series seeing nearly annual releases for the last several years. There was one major exception, which occurred around the time that Pokemon Legends: Arceus was first released. History is repeating itself already, and there is a clear gap within the wait for Legends: Z-A.

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Pokemon Legends: Z-A Theory Attempts to Narrow Down Its Release Window

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Pokemon Legends: Z-A's Release Window Leaves Plenty of Room for Spin-Offs

The Power Vacuum Before Pokemon Legends: Z-A

To say that Pokemon is in a drought of content would be a bit of an overstatement. The series has enjoyed near-annual releases for several years now, with the output of the series increasing dramatically since the jump to 3D. That leap forward first occurred in the Kalos Region with Pokemon X and Y. Players will finally be able to return to the Kalos Region in Pokemon Legends: Z-A, but will have to wait quite a while longer before doing so.

Pokemon Legends: Z-A is currently set to release at some point in 2025, and the lack of a specific date means the game could be released as late as December. This yearlong wait could be for any number of reasons, and many are largely understandable. First and foremost, the game could need more polish, and this is certainly a worthy pursuit after the criticism pointed at recent Pokemon games. Otherwise, developers may simply be leaving room to release the game on the Nintendo Switch 2.

The Vast Potential of Pokemon Spin-Offs

Whatever the case may be, Pokemon Legends: Z-A's release leaves a window of opportunity for the series. Pokemon Scarlet and Violet was released back in 2022, and although it released DLC the following year, a three-year gap between mainline titles is still one of the largest in the series' history. Thankfully, the Pokemon series has no small number of major spin-offs that could fill this gap.

Of course, the idea of another Pokemon remake could excite fans as well, but this seems unlikely at the moment. Game Freak has indicated that the bulk of its resources are being dedicated towards Legends: Z-A and the upcoming Generation 10. Full-scale remakes can take just as much time and effort as standard mainline titles, meaning the next Pokemon remake likely won't be announced until after these other projects have been released.

The Best Pokemon Spin-Offs That Are Due for a New Entry

With that in mind, Pokemon spin-offs seem like the much more reasonable option. This is great news as well, given the impressive library Pokemon has. For example, Pokemon Snap and Pokemon Mystery Dungeon are equally acclaimed titles that are bound to stir some excitement. However, there are some other corners of the series that are long overdue for some representation as well. Among the titles that are waiting in the wings, Pokemon Stadium is no doubt the most deserving of a return.

For many fans, Pokemon Stadium represents the best of what the series could be, and a new entry could generate a lot of excitement for the next mainline game. Pokemon Ranger is a bit more obscure, but its quality provides another great example of the potential behind any given Pokemon spin-off. Whatever direction developers choose to take, releasing a Pokemon spin-off seems like the best way to tide fans over until the eventual release of Pokemon Legends: Z-A.