Pokémon Legends: Z-A revisits Lumiose City during a redevelopment era, compared with the city shown in Pokémon X and Pokémon Y. But the official story page does not give Z-A an in-universe year or identify it as a formal sequel or prequel. The safest answer is that it is set after Lumiose’s X/Y depiction, without a confirmed gap or exact date.
What the official timeline information says
The game’s story takes place in Lumiose City while an urban redevelopment plan is underway. The Pokémon Company describes the city as having more greenery and cutting-edge facilities compared with its appearance in Pokémon X and Pokémon Y. The same page names shopping arcades, cafés, restaurants, waterfronts, parks, and Prism Tower as parts of the city. The official Lumiose City story page frames this as a comparison between the two depictions.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
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| 1 |
![Pokémon Legends: Z-A Standard - Nintendo Switch [Digital Code]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41IOdpg0EfL._SL160_.jpg)
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Pokémon Legends: Z-A Standard - Nintendo Switch [Digital Code] | $59.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
![Pokémon Legends: Z-A – Mega Dimension DLC - Nintendo Switch [Digital Code]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51r8yUj+syL._SL160_.jpg)
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Pokémon Legends: Z-A – Mega Dimension DLC - Nintendo Switch [Digital Code] | $29.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
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Pokemon Legends: Z-A (Nintendo Switch) | $57.10 | Buy on Amazon |
That supports describing Z-A’s Lumiose as a redevelopment-era version of the city seen in X/Y. It does not establish how many years have passed, give Z-A a calendar date, or explicitly call the game a sequel or prequel. A specific timeline placement beyond that comparison would be an inference, not a dated canon fact in the cited material.
Why 2013 does not date Z-A
The official page notes that Pokémon X and Pokémon Y were released in 2013. That is the games’ real-world release year, not an in-universe date. It anchors when players first saw that version of Lumiose, but it does not mean Z-A takes place in 2013 or establish the interval between the stories.
#1 Best Overall
- Your journey will take you to all manner of sights in the streets arrayed around Prism Tower, including shops, restaurants, and places called wild zones—where Pokémon roam free.
- As you catch, train, and battle Pokémon, there will be plenty of people to meet too—like AZ, the enigmatic owner of Hotel Z.
Where Mega Dimension fits
Mega Dimension is additional story content that takes place after the conclusion of the main Pokémon Legends: Z-A story. The Pokémon Company announced its launch for December 10, 2025. This establishes the order of the DLC relative to the main game, but does not provide a date for Z-A’s place relative to X/Y. The Mega Dimension launch announcement is the source for that DLC order and date.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Do Pokémon HOME transfers clarify the timeline?
No. Pokémon HOME connectivity lets Pokémon from Z-A go to HOME and lets select Pokémon from past games come to Lumiose City. Pokémon transferred from Z-A cannot be transferred back to previous games, according to The Pokémon Company’s HOME connectivity announcement. These are transfer rules, not evidence of when Z-A’s story happens.
Quick Recap
Rank #3
- Live the life of a Pokémon Trainer in the streets of Lumiose City!
- Lumiose City a home for people and Pokémon alike. Here, thanks to an urban redevelopment plan driven by Quasartico Inc., the lush greenery of verdant parks and natural vistas intermingles with facilities made using the latest cutting-edge technology. A lot has changed here since the days of the Pokémon X and Pokémon Y games!
- Choose Chikorita, Tepig, or Totodile as your first partner Pokémon, and then set off on a grand adventure! Your journey will take you to all manner of sights in the streets arrayed around Prism Tower, including shops, restaurants, and places called wild zones where Pokémon roam free. As you catch, train, and battle Pokémon, there will be plenty of people to meet too like AZ, the enigmatic owner of Hotel Z.
- Catch, battle, and Mega Evolve all in real time!
Rank #2
- Venture into Hyperspace Lumiose in this additional story content that can be accessed after completing the main game
- Work with the mysterious baker, Ansha, to make donuts that awaken the Mythical Pokémon Hoopa’s power and grant you and your Pokémon a variety of useful effects
- Join Team MZ and the Mega Evolution Successor, Korrina, to investigate Hyperspace Lumiose, the otherworldly home to rare and hyper-strong Pokémon
- Discover new Mega Evolutions such as Mega Raichu X, Mega Raichu Y, Mega Chimecho and Mega Baxcalibur
- Claim Holo-X and Holo-Y in-game apparel items, which you can wear as soon as you are able to customize your character’s look and outfit in the main game
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