It is certainly an exciting time for fans who are continuing to enjoy Pokemon Legends: Z-A, as the Mega Dimension DLC is fast approaching. It is set to be available for download on December 10, 2025, and will include some interesting additions, such as Hyperspace areas and the return of Korrina from Pokemon X and Y.
While those are definitely things to look forward to, the main draw is actually the new Mega Evolutions. Some fans have been given a preview of what they can expect, like Mega Baxcalibur and Zeraora, and, given how they're designed, it's easy to see why many are looking forward to the DLC's release.
However, this means the new forms are effectively paywalled, so people who don't pay won't be able to enjoy them. This is upsetting to longtime fans, as it essentially prevents people, particularly those who don't want to purchase the DLC, from getting the most out of a mechanic established in the base game.
They'll be at a huge disadvantage compared to those who purchased the Mega Dimension DLC, and as a result, they might be forced to get it as well. Doing this sets a bad precedent for future Pokemon entries.
If Game Freak and Nintendo aren't afraid of paywalling updates to Mega Evolutions from the people, what's stopping them from doing it with other established features and mechanics? It is a concern that is entirely warranted, as many are still purchasing the Mega Dimension DLC, which can be overlooked.
This shouldn't be, as fans should be on equal footing with others in being able to enjoy what's part of the base game without having to spend for improvements. Despite that, paywalling updates to mechanics and features is still likely to happen, especially since there hasn't been enough backlash yet over it with the current Mega Dimensions DLC.
What's worse is that in the future, it might be something even bigger than Mega Evolutions. For example, let's say that the next Pokemon entry has something similar to the Poke Ride system of Sun and Moon, where players need them to explore the huge new region fully.
While the Pokemon that can be ridden serve their purpose, perhaps they may be too slow in doing their jobs. This can be an excuse for the game to include DLC that adds new ones, which are much faster and more enjoyable to use. As appalling as that may sound, it or something like it has a good chance of happening, especially since it has been proven that people are willing to spend on improvements they're supposed to receive for free.
The Mega Dimension DLC may offer content for people to enjoy, but it can also be seen as the harbinger of bad news for future Pokemon games and their fans. Hopefully, this will not be the case, but as it stands, we may just see more paywalls for base game mechanics and features updates, something I'm definitely not looking forward to.
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