Is Pokemon Legends: Z-A Coming to Nintendo Switch 2?

Pokemon fans are trying to determine whether or not Game Freak's upcoming title Pokemon Legends: Z-A will be coming to Nintendo Switch 2. To close today's Pokemon Presents showcase, a follow-up entry to Pokemon Legends: Arceus was announced to be releasing in 2025. For the time being, there are still far more questions than answers to be had with Pokemon Legends: Z-A, but some fans are already under the assumption that the game is bound for Nintendo's unannounced new console. 

At the conclusion of the debut trailer for Pokemon Legends: Z-A, Game Freak said that the project would be "releasing simultaneously worldwide" in the coming year. Although Switch 2 clearly wasn't mentioned in this line, many immediately pointed to the "simultaneously" mention as an indication that Pokemon Legends: Z-A could come to both Switch and Switch 2 at the same time. In all likelihood, Game Freak only used this wording to make clear that Pokemon Legends would be released across all regions at once rather than slowly rolling out around the globe. 

That being said, there's a good chance that Pokemon Legends: Z-A will come to Nintendo Switch 2 in one way or another. Previously, Game Freak and The Pokemon Company have remastered or ported Pokemon titles from the past to new Nintendo hardware when given the chance. As such, a similar thing could happen with Pokemon Legends: Z-A if it initially only launches for the base Switch. And if nothing else, the Switch 2 is reportedly going to feature backward compatibility with the original Switch, which means Pokemon Legends: Z-A could be playable on day one of the Switch 2's release in this manner. 

Nintendo Switch 2 and Pokemon Legends: Z-A Release Dates

In recent weeks, rumors and reports have asserted that Nintendo recently delayed the launch of the Switch 2 internally from 2024 to early 2025. Specifically, certain reporting has asserted that March 2025 is the particular release month that Nintendo is now targeting for the Switch 2. If true, this would make quite a bit of sense given that the original Nintendo Switch also happened to arrive in March back in 2017. 

As for the launch of Pokemon Legends: Z-A, there's a chance that the game could be released in the very early portion of next year. When looking at Pokemon Legends: Arceus, that entry was let loose in January of 2022, which suggests that Game Freak could be planning a similar window for Z-A. Additionally, The Pokemon Company itself has often used its "Pokemon Day" presentations to show off what games will be launching in the coming calendar year. With this in mind, there's a possibility that Pokemon Legends: Z-A could be available to play before Pokemon Day comes to pass again in 2025, which would seemingly put it on track to arrive ahead of the Switch 2.