Pokémon Legends: Z-A Free Limited-Time Download Officially Announced

Published Nov 13, 2026, 7:00 PM EST Chris is a Gaming Editor at ScreenRant. He has been a professional writer since 2009, and has written for top TV, comics, movie, and video game outlets like Engadget, Polygon, Destructoid, and more. He brings with him an expertise in every game genre, no matter how niche or mainstream. You may know him as the former Managing/Reviews Editor of Destructoid, where he published hundreds of game reviews across every genre, including MMOs, sports games, and Metroidvanias. Find Chris on Twitter @_SRChris. It's hard to believe that Pokémon Legends: Z-A was released over a year ago. Pokémon Legends: Z-A was released back in October 2025, over a year ago, and it got its first (and presumably only) DLC expansion very early on, less than two months after launch. Mega Dimension has been polarizing for some fans, but Z-A remains updated, with new PVP seasons dropping and freebies arriving consistently. It's also been a huge year for Pokémon as a whole. The 30th anniversary celebration is going strong, and cards (much to the chagrin of players rather than collectors) are selling out worldwide in most regions. It's a banner year for Pokémon, which is wild to think about given how popular it is at any given time. Now, according to The Pokémon Company, another 30th anniversary freebie is coming in the next few weeks, and it focuses on Pokémon Legends: Z-A. In Pokémon Legends: Z-A, you can pick up a Shiny Xerneas in-game via the Mystery Gift feature. If you aren't aware, Xerneas is a massively lore-heavy Legendary Pokémon introduced in Pokémon X, along with Pokémon Y's Yveltal and Zygarde, uniting the three under the X-Y-Z naming convention. The Shiny Xerneas is available right now, and you don't need to own the Mega Dimension DLC to snag it. Here are the full details: "Explore Lumiose City with a Shiny Legendary Pokémon at your side by claiming a Shiny Xerneas in Pokémon Legends: Z-A. Whether you’re battling around town or delving into the mysterious spatial distortions that appear in the Mega Dimension DLC adventure, this powerful Pokémon is sure to be a great partner." All you need to do is use the code CELEBRATE30TH in the Mystery Gift menu of the game. Thursday, January 7, 2027 is the cutoff for the Shiny Xerneas​​​​​​. There's another surprise too, as Yveltal is joining the fray later on: "Shiny Xerneas isn’t the only Legendary Pokémon coming to Lumiose City. Starting December 10, 2026, you’ll be able to receive Shiny Yveltal in your Pokémon Legends: Z-A game as well! Keep checking back to Pokemon.com for updates on that upcoming distribution. In the meantime, take a look at this new video showing both of these Shiny Legendary Pokémon in action." As a reminder, here's how to redeem Mystery Gifts: Open the main menu and select Link Play. Select Mystery Gift. Select Get with Code/Password. Enter the password CELEBRATE30TH. Be sure to save your game. There's another layer to this promotion too. You can use the same code (CELEBRATE30TH) in Pokémon Pokopia, which is free to claim from December 10, 2026, through February 4, 2027. It'll give you one antique chair, one antique chest, one antique table, one humidifier, one stone fireplace, and 10 stained-glass windows (middle). Even if you haven't booted up Pokémon Legends: Z-A in a while, it's worth reinstalling and logging in just to grab these shiny Legendaries. Remember, you can get Shiny Xerneas now, and Shiny Yveltal will be ready to go on December 10. Released October 16, 2025 ESRB Everyone 10+ / Fantasy Violence, In-Game Purchases Developer(s) Game Freak, Creatures Inc. Publisher(s) Nintendo, The Pokemon Company Engine Proprietary