The Pokémon Legends Z-A file size has finally been revealed, and it has some Nintendo Switch 2 players worried. Based on early pre-loading, the game is smaller than Pokémon Scarlet and Violet.
Pokémon Legends Z-A File Size Requires a Separate Day 1 Patch
We are only a week away from the launch of Pokémon Legends Z-A, and the game can now be pre-loaded on Nintendo Switch 2. Early downloads have also revealed the PLZA file size, which was initially 4GB.
As a result, some Pokémon fans began to panic due to the game seemingly being smaller than Pokémon Legends Arceus, which launched in 2022 and was 6.1GB.
However, Nintendo quickly clarified that the Pokémon Legends Z-A file size is actually 7.7GB. This is because PLZA needs a separate day one patch that is 3.6GB to enable higher texture resolutions and framerates on the Switch 2.
Following the immediate panic from players, Nintendo made the Pokémon Legends: Z-A update 1.0.1 available to download from the Switch eShop. As for why some Pokémon fans were initially concerned about the game’s file size, it’s largely due to its setting.
In Pokémon Legends Z-A, the entire game takes place in Lumiose City. So instead of the vast open-world maps that Arceus had, players will be confined to the Kalos Region town.
With the preload initially seeming smaller than Arceus, some worried that Lumiose City would be a lot smaller than expected. Thankfully, players were jumping the gun on this one, as the file size of PLZA is bigger than the previous Legends title.
Pokémon Legends Z-A Is Actually Bigger Than Arceus
It should also be pointed out that a game’s file size doesn’t necessarily predict how big it will be. Studios can, of course, learn to better compress files, and there is also the fact that Switch 2 is a newer system. And while Pokémon Legends Z-A is still smaller than Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, that also makes sense.
Mainline Pokémon Gen games so far have tended to be bigger than Legends titles. For example, Pokémon Scarlet and Violet was 10.1GB on Switch 2. The Paldea Region was also an entirely open-world map. Comparing PLZA to a similar title, like Pokémon Legends Arceus, it’s actually bigger. Even if we factor in the higher resolutions and framerates of Switch 2, the two games are at least a similar size.
All this to say, players can likely expect Pokémon Legends Z-A to be around a similar length as Arceus. A new PLZA trailer in September also revealed that Lumiose City will have a secondary underground location. A brief clip showed players exploring a catacomb system. Although it’s unclear whether this is a full-blown map or smaller sections. Regardless, it appears Game Freak, in general, has designed Lumiose to be multi-leveled, as you can also explore the city’s rooftops.
The post Pokémon Legends Z-A File Size Revealed—and Switch 2 Players Are Worried appeared first on VICE.
