The Pokemon Company announced many big things for the franchise, including the next big Pokemon title, Pokemon Legends: Z-A.
The setting takes place in the world of Lumiose City, which is touted to be a haven for humans and Pokemon, and besides your playable character, there are also a bunch of new faces that players can expect to be part of the main story.
So, who are the main players in Pokemon Legends: Z-A?
The Player– of course, the game's central figure is the player. Z-A will let players choose between a male and female avatar in the game.
Players can be customized throughout the game with different kinds of looks, but it’s also worth noting that the main character does have a special item in the form of the Key Stone, which, when connected with a Mega Stone held by a Pokemon, will result in the Mega Evolution of a Pokemon which grants them a new form and a different set of powers.
Urbain/Taunie – Every Pokemon game gives players a rival to fight against (like Ash with Gary in the anime), but for Z-A, the player will be given a friend (who also happens to do battle with you).
Depending on their gender choice, the game will present them with Urbain or Taunie. It’s not clear if they’re supposed to be two different characters or just the genderbending of the same person, but Urbain/Taunie works in Hotel Z, the place where the player will be living during their stay in Lumiose.
Since Pokemon does have a penchant for twins and characters that look alike (i.e., Nurse Joy and Officer Jenny), it wouldn’t be surprising that Urbain and Taunie are two different people.
AZ - A returning character from Pokemon X and Y, AZ is a 3000-year-old vagabond who once ruled the Kalos region. Now, he runs Hotel Z.
He looks to be the player’s mentor figure (like Professor Oak in the original game), and he’s close with a Pokemon Floette, who has a tragic backstory shared with AZ—that’s why the flower she holds is black, unlike the lighter flowers that other Floett’s carry around.
Jett - No Pokemon game is complete without an evil organization running things, and Jett is the CEO of Quasartico Inc. This large entity essentially runs the City of Lumiose. Not much is known about Jett yet, but players can expect to meet her regularly throughout the game.
Vinnie – Described as Jett’s secretary—but is most likely her bodyguard—Vinnie is another member of Quasartico. Not much is known about him yet, but knowing anime villains, the player may have to go through Vinnie first if they’re going to have to take on Jett—then again, it’s not even clear if the two are villains, but seeing as this is Pokemon, almost every big corporation is supposed to be evil—just like in real life.
Players may meet other characters in-game, but for now, the characters presented seem to be the ones most integral to the plot of Z-A.
Pokemon Legends: Z-A is expected to launch for the Nintendo Switch later this year—maybe even alongside the Switch 2.