Pokemon Legends Z-A Mega Kalos Starters announcement might leave you disappointed

The Pokemon Company announced new Mega Evolutions for the Kalos Starters due to debut in Pokemon Legends Z-A in the Nintendo Direct for September 12, 2025. While the announcement was initially met with much praise for the design, information regarding how to get these Mega Evolutions has been largely disappointing.

The Mega Kalos Starters will be locked behind Online Ranked Battle rewards. The article discusses this in detail below.

Pokemon Legends Z-A Mega Chesnaught, Mega Delphox, and Mega Greninja will not be available through normal gameplay

The Pokemon Company press release regarding the latest Mega Evolution announcement states:

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"The Mega Stones required to Mega Evolve them—Chesnaughtite, Delphoxite, and Greninjite—can be obtained from the Z-A Battle Club as rewards for being promoted up the ranks in online Ranked Battles. In Pokemon Legends Z-A, Ranked Battles offer three types of rewards: battle rewards earned after each battle, promotion rewards earned upon rising in rank, and season rewards that vary by rank and are obtainable at the end of each season."

It continues:

"Chesnaughtite, Delphoxite, and Greninjite stones cannot normally be obtained during regular gameplay. Mega Stones obtainable as promotion rewards are planned to be redistributed in future seasons. It is possible to have no more than one of each kind of Mega Stone. If you already have one of these Mega Stones, you will be unable to receive another as a Ranked Battles reward."

This means that you will not be able to mega evolve any of the Kalos Starters through regular gameplay. Instead, you will have to participate and rise in ranks in Online Ranked Battles (which requires a Nintendo Switch Online membership). Furthermore, it is not clear whether all three Mega Stones for the Kalos Starters will be available together or separately in different seasons.

Therefore, you will need to have a Nintendo Switch Online membership and be good at Pokemon PvP to rise in ranks in Online Ranked Battles to get your hands on Mega Chesnaught, Mega Delphox, and Mega Greninja. This may mean you will have to wait for a significant amount of time after launch to get the Mega Stones for three.

Social media posts regarding the announcement have been understandably negative, with many saying they will probably never get these Mega Stones in Pokemon Legends Z-A, given how competitive Pokemon Online Ranked Battles are.

Along with the reveal of three new Megas, Pokemon Legends Z-A paid DLC was also announced. It will introduce Mega Raichu X and Mega Raichu Y. The Pokemon Company also announced a new Pokemon game, Pokemon Pokopia.

About the author

Angshuman is an Assistant Content Manager, Gaming, at Sportskeeda with a specialized focus on Pokemon. While completing his Master's degree in English Literature, Angshuman's research topics primarily included the many facets of game studies. That, along with his love for the medium which he believes to be the pinnacle of storytelling, led him to become a writer in the genre.

Angshuman prefers both solo and multiplayer titles on PC and PS5. His love for gaming stemmed from playing Bounce and God of War on mobile phones, and on to Age of Empires and Zoo Tycoon on PC. If he ever wished to convert a gaming cynic into a admirer, he would recommend indie games because of their versatility and their ability to be unaffected by genre-stifling publisher expectations.

Angshuman has interviewed several indie game developers in his career, spoken at many conferences, and contributed to book chapters. In his capacity to create highly accurate content, he thoroughly researches a topic, tracks citations until he finds the original source, and ensures his content doesn't misrepresent, misquote, or appropriate information.

In his spare time, Angshuman enjoys story writing, shooting landscapes and short films, reading, and painting.

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Edited by Angshuman Dutta