In Pokémon Legends Z-A, the Kalos Starters’ Mega Evolutions require an active Nintendo Online subscription to unlock them. Players were outraged after discovering that they will need to pay money to access the Gen 6 Pokémon’s new Mega forms.
Pokémon Legends Z-A Gen 6 Starters Mega Evolutions Are Locked to PVP Online Mode
Poké fans were surprised when the September Nintendo Direct featured three major Pokémon announcements. One of those was the final launch trailer for Pokémon Legends Z-A, which revealed the Mega Evolutions for the Kalos Starters: Delphox, Greninja, and Chesnaught.
The excitement quickly turned sour, however, when fans discovered that the new Megas are actually locked behind a paid subscription.
In a fact sheet posted by the Pokémon Company, it was revealed that the Kalos Starters’ Mega Evolutions require an active Nintendo Online subscription. Specifically, you will need to unlock the Mega Evolution stones for each of the Gen 6 Starters through the PLZA Ranked Battle season.
This is problematic for a few reasons. First off, it means you will need to pay for Nintendo’s online service. But secondly, it basically forces casual players to participate in the Ranked Battle Season to unlock each Mega Stone as a reward.
According to the blog update, you can unlock Greninja’s Mega Evolution stone, Greninjite, during Ranked Battles Season 1 starting Thursday, October 16, 2025. Mega Delphox won’t be available until after Season 2. Finally, Mega Chesnaught will not be able to access its new Mega form until after Season 2 ends.
As far as how long each season will last, it’s anyone’s guess. It’s also not clear what players have to do to unlock these Mega Stones as “rewards.” Regardless, you will need to pay for a Nintendo Online subscription if you want access to them.
Pokémon Transferred to PLZA Will Be Banned from Other Games
The news just keeps getting worse. In another strange decision, players stumbled upon a fact sheet about PLZA and Pokémon Home.
According to the feature’s details, players who transfer Pokémon into Pokémon Legends Z-A will no longer be able to use those Pokémon in other games. There wasn’t an explanation for why this is a thing, but it’s apparently a new policy moving forward.
If you transfer a Sword and Shield Pokémon to PLZA, you can’t transfer it back to the Galar region games. “Pokémon cannot be transferred from Pokémon Legends: Z-A to previous titles in the Pokémon video game series. If you transfer a Pokémon from a previous title to PLZA, you will no longer be able to transfer it to previous games in the Pokémon series.”
This is a pretty big deal, as it pretty much defeats the purpose of Pokémon Home. It essentially brings us back to the old Pokémon transfer system. One of the best features of Home is that you can bring Pokémon you caught from all previous titles into other games.
So yeah, if you don’t want to get your Pokémon locked to a single game, don’t transfer them to PLZA.
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