Summary
The upcomingPokemon Legends: Z-Ais the first time a main seriesPokemongame has an ESRB rating higher than E for Everyone.Pokemon Legends: Z-Ais scheduled to launch in late 2025 for the Nintendo Switch. The game was first announced last year, while the latest Pokemon Presents event pulled the curtain back on exactly what fans can expect from it.
Pokemon Legends: Z-Awill have players exploring Lumiose City, located inPokemon X and Y’s Kalos region. Its story is set after the events ofX and Y, and it features a real-time battle system. It retainsPokemon Legends: Arceus’s catching system, but expands players' exploration options. The game looks like it will greatly appeal to those that enjoyedArceusby providing a very similar, but upgraded experience. That being said, there is something interesting aboutPokemon Legends: Z-Athat will help it stand apart from its predecessor and other main seriesPokemongames in general.
As pointed out by Centro Leaks on Twitter,Pokemon Legends: Z-Awill be the first main seriesPokemongame with a rating higher than E from the ESRB. While a full, descriptive rating forPokemon Legends: Z-Adoesn’t seem to be available at the time of this writing, we do know that the game has been rated E10+ for “Fantasy Violence.” It’s unclear how this differs from other main seriesPokemongames. Perhaps the “real-time” element makesLegends: Z-A’s combatmore violent, but maybe there are other things in the game that are causing the ESRB to bump up its rating for the game versus other main seriesPokemontitles.
Pokemon Legends: Z-A ESRB Rating
One theory that has been floating around on social media since thePokemon Legends: Z-AE10+ rating came to light is that the game may bring back the Game Corner. For the uninitiated, the Game Corner is essentially a casino that was present in earlyPokemongames where players could redeem coins for prizes. TheGame Corner has been gone for over a decade, likely due to its gambling elements, but maybe it or something like it could be making a comeback inPokemon Legends: Z-A, prompting the higher rating. That is highly unlikely, but fans will continue to speculate until more information about the age rating comes to light.
It’s unclear when exactly more information onPokemon Legends: Z-Awill be revealed. It’s possible that the game will be featured at theupcoming Switch 2 Direct presentationif it’s getting a native port on the platform, but otherwise fans will have to keep an eye out during future Nintendo Direct or Pokemon Presents events.
