Pokemon Legends Z-A: Is There Early Access?

Learn all about Pokemon Legends Z-A Early Access and discover methods to play before the official release date.

Pokemon Legends Z-A Early Access news (Image via The Pokemon Company)
Pokemon Legends Z-A Early Access news (Image via The Pokemon Company)

With the release of Pokemon Legends Z-A around the corner, getting their hands on the latest title at the earliest will be something every fan will be hoping for. Unfortunately, for Pokemon enthusiasts, the chances of getting early access to the game seem slim.

Pokemon Legends Z-A will be released for all players on October 16, 2025, and has created a lot of buzz in the fandom due to all the new Mega Evolutions being announced. However, there are various methods you can employ to technically play the game earlier than many other fans.

Does Pokemon Legends Z-A Have Early Access?

The game unlock time differs based on your country (Image via The Pokemon Company)
The game unlock time differs based on your country (Image via The Pokemon Company)

No, at the moment. Nintendo has not yet announced any plans for Pokemon Legends Z-A to have an early access system. Which means everyone will start on the same platform. Anyone who buys the game on release or has already pre-ordered the game will be able to get access at the same time.

However, if you are really desperate to play the game as early as possible, there are certain steps you can employ. However if you have already bought the game and it is beyond the refund point, it could be an issue.

How To Play Pokemon Legends Z-A Earlier Than Most Players

You will need to make a new Nintendo account and set its region to New Zealand. Now, head to the Nintendo eShop and buy a copy of the game. Do note that your regular payment methods might not work for this new account.

This location will make the game unlock the earliest for you. This occurs because the game unlocks at midnight local time for each region on October 16, 2025. Through this method, you can play the game as early as the morning of October 15 in the United States. The exact unlock time will depend on your country and what time it is for you when it is midnight in New Zealand.

That was everything to know about getting early access to Pokemon Legends Z-A. For the moment, you can also pre-load the game to play it as quickly as possible on the Switch and Switch 2.


Pokemon Legends Z-A logo.

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