Pokemon Legends ZA is set to release in less than a month. Excitement is, as expected, palpable. Adding fuel to the hype flame was the September 12, 2025 Nintendo Direct where more gameplay and cutscenes were revealed.
Among the reveals were the Mega Evolutions of the Kalos Starters: Chesnaught, Delphox, and Greninja, but as thrilling as that reveal was, it came with a shock that turned half the cheers into head-scratching reality.
Are Pokemon Legends ZA’s Most Anticipated Megas Locked Behind A Paywall?
Yes. The new information confirms that the Mega Stones needed to use the Mega Evolutions for the Kalos Starters are not available through normal gameplay, you can get them by playing online matches.
That means players will need to pay not only for the base game but also for online ranked access just to get these Mega Evolutions. Keep reading because this has serious implications.
For years, fans have begged for the Kalos Starters to have their own Mega Evolutions, and even though they are not among the main focus of Legends ZA, Nintendo finally listened.
Greninjaite, Delphoxite, Chesnaughtite and if those stones ever existed, fans wanted them. And finally, the September Direct confirmed that yes, these Megas are coming. They are real, they look epic, and they excite longtime players of Pokemon.
The issue? After the hype of the September 12 Direct, fans discovered that Mega stones necessary to Mega Evolve Greninja, Delphox, and Chesnaught are locked behind the Z-A Battle Club ranked season rewards. Greninjite will be rewarded in Season 1; Delphoxite and Chesnaughtite in later seasons.
If you're not into competitive Pokémon, you should know these stones will not be available simply by playing through the story, by finding them lying around, or by exploring Kalos as in previous Pokemon games. The path to these new forms requires participation and winning in ranked online competition.
Sounds simple enough, right? Except you need a Nintendo Switch Online (NSO) subscription to access the ranked battles. The NSO subscription price varies by plan: a basic individual plan or a family plan. On top of the base cost of the game, which already set at a premium, you now have an additional cost for an essential gameplay reward.
The cost is just increasing. For many fans, it feels unfair to pay full price for the game and then you are forced into online content if you want what was marketed as part of the Mega evolution content.
If you are a fan of one of these Pokemon but do not have the budget for NSO or you do not want participate in ranked battles, your only recourse may be to watch streams or "lets plays" just to see how epic the Mega forms look.
The designs are already being praised online, especially that Chesnaught Mega form and Delphox with its new twig-brush psychic flare. The feeling of owning the form is lost for those who cannot or choose not to pay or compete.
This is not the first time Pokemon has locked content behind paid features but this might be the first time that something many consider baseline gameplay features like starter Pokemon and their final flashy evolutions are gated behind what feels like a temporary cashgrab.
Fans feel the hype built in trailers and reveals was undercut by this required extra premium. It hurts because these Mega Evolutions are not minor side content and they are massive, anticipated, core additions.
What is scary to think is what other Mega Evolutions might be locked behind Nintendo paywalls after this trio. If Greninjaite, Delphoxite, and Chesnaughtite are the first, will future Megas for other Pokemon also require online ranked seasons?
There is already the news that some Raichu Mega forms will be DLC locked. That raises the question of how many more essential pieces of Pokemon content will be removed from the base game and put behind optional, paid battle passes.
The core tension is this: Pokemon fans want their games to be inclusive and they want the joy of discovering a Mega evolution as part of the progression. Making those prized forms available only after online competition or subscription risks excluding casuals.
It risks turning what should be a celebration of Pokemon and creativity into a game of paywalls and seasons.
The Pokemon Company and Nintendo are known for coupling reveals with pleasant surprises and some of them very delightful. But this feels different and just uncalled for. Locking fan-anticipated content behind multiplayer requirements and subscriptions does not just alter fandom expectations but it changes what it means to own a full experience.
As Legends ZA approaches launch, this move will be under scrutiny. Whether the company responds or changes the policy will go down in community memory. Right now what remains true that some of the most exciting Megas in the game require you to pay more than ever.