An exact release date for the announced in a Pokémon Presents showcase in February 2024, Legends: Z-A is set to be the second game in what is now the Pokémon: Legends series, and an indirect sequel to 2022's Legends: Arceus — this time revisiting the Kalos region, which originally appeared in Pokémon X and Y.

While there haven't been any direct announcements regarding Legends: Z-A, several new trademarks have been filed for the first Pokémon TCG sets of 2025, as shown by fansite PokéBeach, which may indicate that the game will be released later in the year in 2025. TCG content launched close to a mainline Pokémon game's release window is usually meant to promote the game in some way, but none of the trademarks - "Black Bolt," "White Flare," and "Heat Wave Arena" — are directly associated with Legends: Z-A or Kalos, making it unlikely that the game will release within the same period.

What The Trademarked TCG Sets Mean For Pokémon Legends: Z-A

Legends: Z-A Will Likely Be Released Later In 2025 - Which Could Be A Good Thing

While there has been previous speculation regarding the release window of Pokémon Legends: Z-A in relation to the TCG, the names of the newly trademarked sets give a clearer idea of what to expect. "Black Bolt" and "White Flare," for example, almost certainly reference to the legendary dragons of the Unova region, Zekrom, and Reshiram, which currently have no real relation to what's been revealed of Legends: Z-A. Similarly, the name "Heat Wave Arena" points to a set that might be more generically themed after the Fire-type, again with very little relation to Legends: Z-A.

And while a later release date means a longer wait, it may actually be a blessing in disguise. The technical quality of recent Pokémon games, most notably Scarlet and Violet, has been a point of contention for many fans, with many pointing to the series' fast-paced release schedule as one of the primary reasons for the decline in quality. Saving Legends: Z-A for the later parts of 2025, then, could provide the time needed to make sure the game is in working order before it releases and avoid the controversies of Scarlet and Violet's release in 2022.

Other than the original reveal trailer for Legends: Z-A, no new promotional material regarding the game has been released, making its vague 2025 release window uncertain. The newly trademarked TCG sets point towards a later 2025 release, as new mainline Pokémon games are typically what pave the way for all other Pokémon media, but only time will tell when exactly in 2025 Pokémon Legends: Z-A is set to release.

Source: PokéBeach