Pokémon Legends: Z-A has a lot to prove. As the first major Pokémon game announced since the Nintendo Switch 2 was confirmed, expectations are high. While Pokémon remains one of the biggest gaming franchises, recent games have had a rough time, and technical issues, poor graphics, and performance problems have all proven frustrating.

With new hardware coming, Pokémon Legends: Z-A has the chance to turn things around. If Game Freak takes full advantage of the Switch 2, this game could set a new standard for the series. If it struggles with the same issues as past games, however, it will only confirm fears that Pokémon games are falling behind. This release is a big moment; it will either prove the franchise is ready to evolve or show that technical problems are here to stay.

Pokémon On Switch Had Too Many Problems

Pokémon Scarlet & Violet Were The Worst Offenders

Pokémon’s time on the Nintendo Switch has been a mix of excitement and frustration. While each new game brought new and exciting ideas, they also came with serious technical issues. Pokémon Scarlet and Violet were some of the worst offenders. The games launched with major performance problems, including frame rate drops and frequent glitches. Pokémon would get stuck in walls or the floor, and the camera often acted strangely, making wild battles and exploration awkward. The graphics also looked rough, with low-quality textures, odd lighting, and strange shadows that made the game world feel unfinished.

Pokémon Legends: Arceus had better gameplay ideas, but it still suffered from poor graphics that let down its strong art design. The world felt empty, with simple textures and a lack of detail. While the open-world design was exciting, the visuals didn’t match the ambition.

Even Pokémon Sword and Shield, the first main Pokémon game on the Switch, had issues. Areas like the Wild Area, Isle of Armor, and Crown Tundra had frame rate drops, especially when playing online. Stuttering and lag made exploring and battling less smooth than they should have been. With so many technical problems across multiple games, it's becoming increasingly concerning that the games may not ever improve. If Pokémon Legends: Z-A doesn’t fix these issues, it could hurt trust in the series even more.

Switch 2 Could Fix Pokémon’s Performance Issues

With Better Hardware, Pokémon On The Switch 2 Should Run Better

With the Nintendo Switch 2 coming soon, there’s hope that Pokémon games will finally run better. The current Switch struggles with performance, leading to frame rate drops, glitches, and stuttering. The improved hardware of the Switch 2, however, could make it possible for Pokémon Legends: Z-A to finally look and play the way fans expect, and a brief look at the Nintendo Switch 2 Edition provided in the Switch 2 Direct certainly seems more optimistic.

One of the biggest problems with past Pokémon games is that the Switch isn’t powerful enough to easily handle open-world environments without clever optimization. This leads to slow loading, pop-in, and frame rate drops. Pokémon Scarlet and Violet had major issues, with Pokémon getting stuck in the ground and the game slowing down in cities and battles. The Switch 2’s improved power should help prevent these problems.

Better memory and storage could also make a big difference. The current Switch loads things slowly, causing blurry textures and delayed animations. With the Switch 2 having faster memory, Pokémon games could load more smoothly, making the world feel more alive. Stronger hardware could also improve lighting, shadows, and overall graphics. Pokémon games often look flat, with weird shadows and dull environments. A better GPU could make towns, forests, and open areas look more detailed and realistic.

Of course, hardware upgrades alone aren’t enough. Game Freak needs to make sure Pokémon Legends: Z-A is properly optimized to use the new system’s power. A more powerful console won’t fix the game if it isn’t designed well, and comparisons between the performance of Pokémon games and impressive titles like Breath of the Wild raised plenty of criticism about Game Freak's optimization on the original Switch. If Game Freak takes full advantage of the new hardware, this could be a fresh start on the Switch 2 for a 3D Pokémon game that finally doesn't feel like it's struggling.

If Legends: Z-A Runs Poorly on Switch 2, Pokémon Is in Trouble

Pokémon Could Be In Serious Trouble If These Issues Aren't Resolved

If Legends: Z-A still has major issues on the Switch 2, it will show that Pokémon’s problems go beyond hardware. While fans have stuck to the series despite its issues, another game that runs poorly on better hardware could push many away and make people question if Game Freak can handle more powerful hardware. Other Nintendo franchises, like Zelda and Mario, keep improving, and if Pokémon can’t do the same, it risks falling behind.

If fans expect future games beyond the Switch to be full of glitches, sales could eventually decline, even if the worldwide popularity of Pokémon makes it hard for the series to drop off the map entirely. This could force Game Freak and The Pokémon Company to make big changes, like hiring more developers, switching game engines, or taking longer to make games.

The Switch 2 will HDR10 and can run games up to 120 FPS in certain situations.

The Switch 2 is a chance for Pokémon to improve. If Pokémon Legends: Z-A runs well and looks great, it can restore trust in the series. On the other hand, if it still has big issues, it could show that Pokémon’s problems won’t go away anytime soon.

Source: Nintendo of America/YouTube