Pokémon Legends Z-A has been generating significant excitement in the gaming community since its launch in October 2025, and the developers have wasted no time in rolling out special events to keep players engaged. One of the most notable celebrations came through a partnership with Pokémon GO, which threw a massive party to commemorate the game’s release on the Nintendo Switch family of systems.
The Pokémon Legends Z-A Celebration Event in Pokémon GO ran from Thursday, October 16, at 10:00 a.m. to Monday, October 20, 2025, at 8:00 p.m. local time. During this period, trainers had the opportunity to participate in special activities that connected the mobile game with the new console release. The event featured increased frequency of Mega Raids, giving players more chances to battle and catch powerful Pokémon in their Mega-Evolved forms.
One of the highlights of this celebration event involved three specific Pokémon that could learn exclusive charged attacks. Meganium, Feraligatr, and Emboar all had the ability to learn special moves during the event window. When trainers evolved Bayleef during this time, they received a Meganium that knew the charged attack Frenzy Plant. Similarly, evolving Croconaw resulted in a Feraligatr that learned Hydro Cannon, while evolving Pignite gave trainers an Emboar with Blast Burn. These Pokémon could also learn their featured attacks using a Charged TM if trainers missed the evolution window during the event.
The event also included free timed research that was exclusive to the celebration. This research featured branching tasks that allowed players to choose their own path through the challenges. Completing these tasks rewarded players with experience points, candy, poffins, and encounters with either Chikorita, Totodile, or Tepig, each appearing with a special seasonal background. The first partner Pokémon that trainers selected had an increased chance of being attracted to the Daily Adventure Incense, making it easier to encounter them in the wild. For players feeling particularly lucky, there was even a chance to encounter shiny versions of these starter Pokémon. However, trainers needed to complete and claim all rewards from this timed research before Monday, October 20, 2025, at 8:00 p.m. local time, as the research expired after that date.
Beyond the Pokémon GO celebration, Pokémon Legends Z-A itself has received several special mystery gift events that have introduced legendary and mythical Pokémon to the game. Starting on October 16, 2025, players who purchased the game early received a special Ralts holding a Gardevoirite stone. This distribution remained active through February 28, 2026, giving players an extended window to claim this exclusive Pokémon. The Gardevoirite stone allowed the Ralts to Mega Evolve into Mega Gardevoir, providing trainers with a powerful addition to their team right from the start.
Another significant mystery gift event began on November 6, 2025, when the mythical Rock and Fairy-type Pokémon Diancie became available to all players. This distribution included Diancite, a mega stone that allowed Diancie to Mega Evolve. The arrival of Diancie also unlocked a special side mission called “Shine Bright like a Gemstone,” which involved a story with a character named Emma at the Looker Bureau. This side mission gave players a narrative reason to seek out and use the legendary Pokémon in their adventures.
The mystery gift system in Pokémon Legends Z-A works through the game’s internet connection feature, allowing players to receive these special distributions without needing physical codes or attending real-world events. Players can access mystery gifts by connecting to the internet and selecting the appropriate option in the game’s menu. Each mystery gift can only be redeemed once per account, so trainers need to make sure they claim these special Pokémon before the distribution periods end.
Looking ahead, the game’s first major expansion, called Pokémon Legends Z-A Mega Dimension, is set to release on December 10, 2025. This paid DLC will introduce players to Hyperspace Lumiose, a distorted reflection of the game’s main city. The DLC story involves a young girl named Ansha and the mischief Pokémon Hoopa, as Team MZ investigates mysterious distortions appearing throughout the city. Players will encounter Pokémon that exceed the normal level 100 limit, rare Pokémon not found in the main game, and never-before-seen Mega-Evolved forms like Mega Raichu X and Mega Raichu Y. To prepare for this expansion, trainers will need to complete the main story of Pokémon Legends Z-A first.
The special events and mystery gifts surrounding Pokémon Legends Z-A demonstrate the developers’ commitment to keeping the game fresh and exciting for players. By distributing legendary and mythical Pokémon through timed events, the game encourages trainers to log in regularly and engage with different aspects of the experience. The connection between Pokémon GO and the console game also shows how the franchise is working to create a cohesive experience across multiple platforms, allowing fans to celebrate major releases together regardless of which games they prefer to play.
