Will Pokémon Legends: Z-A Be Set in the Past or Future?

The mystery surrounding the setting of Pokémon Legends: Z-A has fans eagerly speculating. Although a teaser trailer and a location have already been revealed, there's still no confirmation about the game's exact time period. As the second entry in the Pokémon Legends series, which began with Pokémon Legends: Arceus exploring Sinnoh's past, this game series continues to expand the universe of Pokémon by delving into different eras and regions, setting itself apart from the mainline games.

Pokémon Legends: Arceus took players back to a time when Pokémon and humans hadn't yet learned to coexist. Now, the big question is whether Pokémon Legends: Z-A will also revisit the past or leap into the future. The game has been confirmed to be set in Lumiose City, a location inspired by Paris in the Kalos region from Pokémon X and Y, but its time period remains shrouded in mystery.

Clues from the Pokémon Legends: Z-A Teaser Trailer

The announcement trailer for Pokémon Legends: Z-A on the official Pokémon YouTube channel reveals that the game will take place in Lumiose City. Players will embark on a journey in a city undergoing an "urban development plan," indicating a period focused on rebuilding the area to foster peaceful coexistence between Pokémon and humans.

The trailer opens with a drawing of a building sketched in a traditional pencil-and-paper style, accompanied by people and a large Pikachu. As the video progresses, the scene transitions to a more futuristic design, showcasing a city outlined with neon blue lines reminiscent of a Tron-like aesthetic. This shift in art style hints at a city evolving into something entirely new.

The trailer also offers glimpses of Lumiose City's landscape, with its sidewalks, restaurant patios, and elegant archways. These vibrant, computer-generated visuals depict a harmonious environment where Pokémon and people live side by side. As the teaser concludes, it returns to an aged, hand-drawn map of Lumiose City, merging classic and modern elements in a way that leaves the game's time setting open to interpretation.

Why Pokémon Legends: Z-A Could Be Set in the Future

The trailer's high-tech visuals have led many fans to believe that Pokémon Legends: Z-A might take place in the future. The depiction of a digitalized city with neon renderings suggests a futuristic transformation for Lumiose City. A popular fan theory revolves around the idea that Zygarde, a powerful Pokémon, could be responsible for devastating the city, leading to a storyline focused on its restoration in a distant future.

Additionally, the Pokémon series has been steadily moving toward more contemporary and futuristic settings. The open-world titles Pokémon Scarlet and Violet already reflect a more modern approach, and it’s possible that Z-A will follow this trend, pushing the franchise into uncharted futuristic territory.

Why Pokémon Legends: Z-A Could Be Set in the Past

Despite the futuristic hints in the trailer, there's also plenty of evidence suggesting that Pokémon Legends: Z-A could revisit the past. Following in the footsteps of Pokémon Legends: Arceus, which explored historical settings, it’s possible that the new Legends game will maintain this focus on ancient times. The language in the trailer echoes the themes of community-building found in Arceus, highlighting efforts to create a world where Pokémon and humans thrive together.

Moreover, the bird's-eye view of Lumiose City in the trailer closely resembles its layout from the Pokémon X and Y games, hinting that the redevelopment plan could be referencing the city's evolution in a historical context rather than a futuristic one.

The strongest argument for a historical setting comes from real-world inspiration. Lumiose City is modeled after Paris, which underwent a massive renovation from 1852 to 1870 under the direction of Georges-Eugène Haussmann. This transformation turned Paris into a more modern, beautiful city, adding public parks, squares, fountains, and aqueducts—all elements seen in the redevelopment plan shown in the Pokémon Legends: Z-A trailer. This historical influence might hint that the game will be set in a similar period of restoration.

Could Pokémon Legends: Z-A Combine Both the Past and the Future?

There’s also the possibility that Pokémon Legends: Z-A will blur the lines between past and future. Given the series' fascination with time manipulation and alternate realities, as seen in titles like Pokémon Arceus and the time-traveling elements in Scarlet and Violet, the new game might incorporate both timelines. The name Z-A itself hints at a journey from one end to another, suggesting players might traverse through different eras.

The trailer's blend of traditional and futuristic aesthetics supports this theory, hinting at a dynamic experience where players might witness Lumiose City’s transformation across different periods. Such a narrative would allow fans to experience the city's rise from its roots to its possible future state.

Following the success of Pokémon Legends: Arceus, fans are eager for more captivating stories in the Legends series. Whether Pokémon Legends: Z-A unfolds in the past, the future, or both, it's sure to offer an exciting return to the Kalos region that fans won't want to miss.