This is a leak that will surprise no one, but which risks making Nintendo cringe. While Pokémon Legends: ZA officially releases tomorrow on Nintendo Switch, the game has already been made accessible on PC – and even on Android – via an emulator.
The YouTuber tabeneru revealed a technical video showing the configuration menu to run Pokémon Legends: ZA on EDENa Switch emulation program. “They simply shared the settings menu to ensure the game worked properly,” thus avoiding any broadcast of explicit gameplay, as a legal precaution.
The Pokémon game runs in 4K at 60 fps… but not on Switch
Other users weren’t as careful. Videos are already circulating with excerpts of gameplay, often accompanied by mods allowing unlock frame rate And to reach 4Kwhere the Switch version is technically limited. Result: the experience is visually much superior on PC, at least for those who dare to emulate it.
Nintendo has never tolerated emulation of its recent titles, and even less so before their launch. “I don’t imagine he’s also going to great lengths to prevent leaks here,” says the article’s author. Actions could therefore quickly be taken against broadcasters and platforms.
A launch under close surveillance
Pokémon Legends: ZA is the second installment in the sub-series LegendsAfter Pokémon Legends: Arceus in 2022. It also marks a return to the Kalos region, a direct continuation of Pokémon X & Yand according to the first feedback, it would live up to expectations. Sam Cawley GAMINGbible calls it a “fantastic Pokémon game,” where “the new battle mechanics are an exceptional addition to the formula.”
If emulation continues to gain ground before the official release, it could nevertheless be slowed down in the months to come. There Nintendo Switch 2expected for 2026, should complicate the creation of emulators in the short term. As of now, there is nothing stopping some players from illegally exploring Kalos ahead of time. But reprisals should not be long in coming.