Sorry Pokémon Fans, But Legends: Z-A Doesn’t Need to Be an Ongoing Game

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The announcement that Pokémon Legends: Z-A would require online play to unlock certain items sparked a lot of criticism, with many players accusing Nintendo of prioritizing profit. While Nintendo certainly aims to make money, the situation is probably more complex. It likely stems from a common issue in the gaming industry: developers being hesitant to create games that offer limited replay value after completion.

Many game company leaders are increasingly interested in “live service” games – games designed to keep players engaged for a long time rather than offering a finite experience. These games frequently add new features and rewards to encourage players to return regularly, even after completing the main story. While this approach works well for some games, it’s not a good fit for Nintendo, and they should reconsider their strategy before it’s too late.

Pokémon Legends: Z-A Is Putting Too Much Focus On Online Play

Okay, so The Pokémon Company is *really* hyping up the ranked battles in the new *Legends: Z-A* game. They’re giving the four-player Z-A Battle Club a ton of attention before it even comes out, way more than they ever did with online features in past games. We knew *Scarlet & Violet* would have ranked matches, and there was that Charizard raid before launch, but those didn’t get the same kind of dedicated spotlight – especially not at something as huge as the Pokémon World Championships. It feels like they’re making a big deal out of this new battle mode, and honestly, I’m here for it!

The Z-A Battle Club is currently the only place players can get the Mega Stones needed to evolve the starter Pokémon from the Kalos region. Some believe this is simply a tactic to encourage subscriptions to Nintendo Switch Online, and while Nintendo certainly wants to make money, it’s probably motivated by more than just profit.

Nintendo offers various benefits with its Nintendo Switch Online service, and recently added the original Pokémon games – a popular request from fans. Since Pokémon players already need a Switch Online subscription to trade and battle online, many of those interested in the new Z-A Battle Club likely already have a subscription.

It’s more likely Nintendo wants people to spend more time playing *Pokémon* games. Rather than rushing through the story, defeating the final boss, and completing the extra content, they seem to want players to enjoy the game over a longer period – a strategy that aligns with recent choices made for the series by Nintendo and The Pokémon Company.

For example, *Pokémon Scarlet & Violet* engaged players with a community goal: completing one million raids. As a reward, players received shiny versions of the four Treasures of Ruin, which were normally unavailable in shiny form. Even after the release of both expansion passes, *Scarlet & Violet* continued to offer special raids and unique Mass Outbreaks, a practice also seen in *Pokémon Sword & Shield* with its frequent limited-time events.

This move aligns with The Pokémon Company’s recent efforts to make competitive Pokémon battling more accessible. Newer games have included features like ranked ladders and changing rules to help players get involved and keep the gameplay exciting. *Pokémon Champions* seems to be the culmination of this approach, with a user-friendly design and compatibility with Pokémon HOME, making it simpler than ever to build a strong competitive team.

Unlike *Legends: Arceus*, which had limited online features and little long-term support, *Legends: Z-A* is heavily focused on online play. While *Arceus* was a hit with Pokémon fans and sold very well, it didn’t receive any downloadable content or substantial updates, and news of *Scarlet & Violet* arrived quickly after its release.

Considering how different *Z-A* is from *Arceus*, it appears Nintendo and Game Freak are focusing more on games that have continuous online features. While this is becoming common in gaming, it doesn’t seem like the best approach for *Legends: Z-A* or other *Pokémon* titles.

Pokémon Games Don’t Need To Keep People Playing Forever

Pokémon games usually come as complete purchases or smaller mobile games with optional in-app buys. Nintendo and The Pokémon Company probably realize that changing to a constantly-updated, live-service model could upset many fans. So, instead of doing that, recent games have been adding new things to do and limited-time events to keep players engaged long after they’ve finished the main story.

While many games now rely on constant updates and ongoing services, that approach doesn’t fit the Pokémon series. Since the very beginning in 1996, a new Pokémon game, remake, or expansion has come out every two years, and since 2016, there’s been something new released *every* year. This rapid pace doesn’t give games enough time to develop properly, and has even led to criticism that they’re released too quickly and with too many bugs.

Nintendo announced Pokémon Legends: Z-A in February 2024, and many fans were pleased it wasn’t scheduled for release until late 2025. This extra time allows Game Freak to carefully develop the game. The strong and active Pokémon community has also shown it’s happy to wait for quality content.

For years, Pokémon fans have challenged themselves by finding new and harder ways to play the games. Beyond the popular competitive scene, the franchise has also expanded with mobile games and an anime series. Surprisingly, a gap between new game releases wouldn’t necessarily harm the fanbase; it could actually build anticipation and make the next game even more popular.

The Pokémon Company doesn’t need to require the Z-A Battle Club to keep players engaged. People already enjoy replaying Pokémon games, even without updates, and making Mega Evolutions dependent on an online connection could actually discourage fans.

Even though the next major Pokémon game hasn’t been officially revealed, fans have a lot to be excited about after *Legends: Z-A* comes out. A new Pokémon life simulation game is also in development and looks enjoyable. Plus, with the 30th anniversary of the series approaching, we can probably expect some significant announcements soon.

However, fans need to feel confident about future Pokémon projects, and that requires Nintendo and The Pokémon Company to allow them sufficient development time. There’s no need to quickly release new games just to maintain player engagement, or to add complicated online features. Fans consistently return to Pokémon even after finishing a game, but if the series tries to constantly hold their attention, they may lose interest permanently.

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2025-10-09 06:49