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Pokémon Legends: Z-A officially launches in October and will offer 'improved graphics and frame rates' on the Nintendo Switch 2 version

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The next Pokémon Presents livestream will air on July 22 and showcase a new look at the game

Pokémon Legends: Z-A
(Image credit: Game Freak)
  • Pokémon Legends: Z-A will officially launch on October 16 for Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2
  • A digital or physical Switch version can be upgraded to the Nintendo Switch 2 Edition via a $10 upgrade pack
  • The Nintendo Switch 2 Edition will "offer improved graphics and frame rates"

The Pokémon Company has announced that Pokémon Legends: Z-A will officially launch on October 16 for Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2.

Pre-orders for the next major Pokémon game begin on June 5, and it's been confirmed that players who purchase either a digital or physical version on the Switch can upgrade their copy to the Nintendo Switch 2 Edition via a $10 upgrade pack on the Nintendo eShop and My Nintendo Store.

It might be worth investing in the Switch 2 Edition as The Pokémon Company has also revealed in a social media post that the version will "offer improved graphics and frame rates", but there's no new trailer for us to compare to the Switch version just yet.

In addition, players who pre-order Legends: Z-A through the Pokémon Center in the US, UK, and Canada will receive a random, exclusive Pokémon Sitting Cuties plush featuring Chikorita, Tepig, or Totodile.

According to Nintendo, those who pre-order a version of the game from My Nintendo Store will receive a Partner Pokémon figurine as a bonus item, and Mega Evolution, Trainer, and Champion's Choice bundles will also be available."

We've also received brand new cover art for the game, along with an official blurb, which reads: "Pokémon Legends: Z-A is a new frontier for the Pokémon video game series, blending an RPG story unfolding in a single city with action elements and a real-time battle system unlike anything seen before in the franchise.

"Trainers can look forward to the beginning of a new adventure in Lumiose City — one woven by people and Pokémon together!​"

Pokémon fans won't have to wait long for another look at the game because the next Pokémon Presents livestream will air this summer on July 22.

The Nintendo Switch 2 launches next week on June 5 for $449.99 / £395.99, and $499.99 / £429.99 for the official Mario Kart World bundle, which comes with a digital copy of the game.

UK pre-orders and US pre-orders are now live. If you missed out on securing a pre-order, GameStop and Best Buy have announced that they will be restocking Switch 2 units in-store and online during the console's launch.

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Demi Williams
Demi Williams

Demi is a freelance games journalist for TechRadar Gaming. She's been a games writer for five years and has written for outlets such as GameSpot, NME, and GamesRadar, covering news, features, and reviews. Outside of writing, she plays a lot of RPGs and talks far too much about Star Wars on X.

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