Pokémon Legends Z-A’s Mega-Dimension DLC Locks Mega Evolutions Behind Nintendo Online

“Online used to be free” – why this Z-A news hit a nerve

This caught my attention because it pokes at two pressure points for Pokémon fans: price creep and time-gated FOMO. Nintendo and The Pokémon Company confirmed a €29.99 “Mega-Dimension” DLC for Pokémon Legends: Z-A, plus new Mega Evolutions partly locked behind Nintendo Switch Online and seasonal multiplayer rewards. On paper, more Megas and a story chapter set in Lumiose sounds great. In practice, it looks like a live-service tax on a series that built its legacy on accessibility and collecting.

Key takeaways

• Two new Megas (including Mega Raichu X and Y) arrive via the paid Mega-Dimension DLC (€29.99).
• Three more Megas (Chesnaught, Delphox, Greninja) are tied to ranked online play and seasonal rewards, requiring an active Nintendo Switch Online sub.
• Total cost to “have it all” lands north of €100 when you factor in base game (€70-€80), DLC, and NSO (€20-€25/year).
• The contentious bit isn’t online existing-it’s locking core progression collectibles behind subscription-only modes and grindy seasons.

Breaking down the announcement

Legends: Z-A targets October 16, 2025 on Switch and the next Switch hardware. The headline is Mega Evolution’s full-blown return to Kalos. The paid Mega-Dimension DLC adds a narrative episode centered on new Megas, while three others sit behind ranked online play and season rewards-available only if your Nintendo Switch Online subscription is active.

Do the quick math: €70-€80 for the base game depending on platform, €29.99 for the DLC, and roughly €20–€25 for a year of NSO if you want to participate in the ranked ladder and seasonal unlocks. That’s easily €120–€135 if your goal is “complete access to every Mega.” The sticker shock is real, but the bigger issue is design: tying a beloved mechanic to live-service seasons and an ongoing fee.

Context: online wasn’t always free—and this is a new kind of lock

Let’s be fair: Nintendo has charged for Switch Online since 2018. If you battled or traded in Sword/Shield or Scarlet/Violet, you already needed NSO. What feels different with Z-A is the content lock. In the 3DS era, Wi-Fi events were free. On Switch, paid expansion passes happened (Isle of Armor/Crown Tundra), but core forms and battle tools weren’t typically seasonal, ranked-exclusive progression. Here, Mega Gems rewarded through multiplayer seasons move Pokémon closer to the battle-pass mindset we see in shooters and hero games.

Pokémon has flirted with distribution quirks before—time-limited Mythicals, raid event rotations, Home subscriptions—but Mega Evolutions affect both collection and competitive viability. Gate them behind a ladder and you’re implicitly telling solo players and younger kids without subs they don’t get the “full” Mega roster. That’s a shift from “events as bonuses” to “events as requirements.”

The gamer’s perspective: value vs. grind

If you live on ranked ladders, maybe this sounds fine—play the modes you already enjoy and grab the rewards. But seasonal systems usually come with their own baggage: weekly challenges, ladder thresholds, and a timer that’s always ticking. Miss a season, miss a Mega? That’s the FOMO anxiety fans are calling out. The series that popularized trading with friends is now asking for a recurring fee and appointment gaming to complete a historic mechanic.

From a collector’s angle, it’s rough. Legends games lean into exploration and self-driven pacing; adding a season clock clashes with that vibe. From a competitive angle, restricting Megas to ranked progression risks a meta where early adopters have access advantages, or latecomers need to grind multiple seasons to catch up.

And then there’s the price. €29.99 for a story DLC isn’t outlandish by modern standards, but it lands on top of higher base prices and a subscription. The frustration isn’t just “it costs money,” it’s “it costs money and time, on Nintendo’s schedule.” When the community says “online used to be free,” they’re not misremembering so much as pushing back on how central content is moving behind paywalled, time-limited structures.

What Nintendo and TPC could do to fix this

• Offer offline paths: after a season ends, unlock those Mega Gems through tough single-player quests or raids. Seasonal exclusivity first, accessibility later.
• Bundle smartly: a reasonably priced Game + DLC + 12 months NSO pack would cool a lot of tempers.
• Be transparent: publish exactly how seasonal rewards work—requirements, timelines, and whether missed Megas will return—before launch.
• Respect the collector loop: don’t make “complete the Pokédex’s Mega page” dependent on a paid ladder grind forever.

Practical advice if you’re eyeing Z-A

• Solo-first players: you’ll still get the Lumiose story and the DLC’s headline Megas without NSO. If you don’t care about ranked, you can skip the sub.
• Completionists: budget for the full stack and keep an eye on whether Nintendo confirms post-season catch-up routes for Mega Gems.
• Competitive players: plan early. If Megas are season-limited, missing a window could mean meta disadvantages in future tours.

TL;DR

Pokémon Legends: Z-A brings back Mega Evolution, but ties part of it to a €29.99 DLC and Nintendo Switch Online-only seasonal rewards. The paywall itself isn’t new—making core collectibles seasonal and subscription-gated is. If Nintendo adds fair offline paths and clearer bundles, this could go from “pricey grind” to “reasonable choice.” Right now, it feels like a live-service toll booth in Lumiose.