Published Apr 1, 2026, 12:05 AM EDT
Austin King is the Senior Editor of Gaming at ScreenRant and has been with the site since 2020 with a focus on RPGs and tabletop games. He previously managed content for Geek to Geek Media, and has served as a writer for sites like Nintendad, Geek Fitness, and more.
In addition to his work at ScreenRant, he also hosts the Dragon Quest FM podcast and is the author of several books, including co-writing Nimbus (a #1 bestseller in 2013). His latest is the nonfiction The Dragon Quest Book, available now.
He's written about pop culture, video games, and genre studies over the course of his career. You can find him on BlueSky, X, and at Dragonquestaustin.com
Pokémon Legends: Z-A is offering up even more new free downloads beginning today, April 1. Whether you're still playing the base game, or checking out its Mega Dimension DLC, it's a great time to boot up Legends: Z-A and see what new offers you have available. This time around, the free downloads are related to the start of Season 9 Ranked Battles.
As announced over on the official Pokémon website, Season 9 in Pokémon Legends: Z-A's Ranked Battles begins on April 1, 2026. Naturally, that comes with a host of new rewards, which participants can download for free once the season ends. It's also a good time to remind everyone to check out any Mystery Gifts they may be missing by using that feature.
Season 9 kicks off today, April 1, and will run until April 22. Typically, seasons end (and new ones begin) around 10 pm ET, so expect a similar time here. During Season 9, you'll have around three weeks to climb through Ranked Battles in order to get new rewards. As usual, you'll start off at Rank Z and climb up from there.
The following new rewards will be given out to the corresponding ranks once Season 9 ends in Pokémon Legends: Z-A:
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Rank A |
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Rank B-E |
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Rank F-I |
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Rank J-M |
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Rank N-R |
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Ranks S-Z |
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While none of these rewards are quite on the level of a new Pokémon or Mega Stone, it's always nice to get some freebies in Legends: Z-A anyway. Of course, if this is your first time participating in the Ranked Battles, you'll snag Mega Stones for a variety of Pokémon, including Mega Greninja, Mega Delphox, and Mega Chesnaught.
Pokémon's 30th Anniversary Is Still Going Strong
This year marks the 30th anniversary of the franchise, and Pokémon has kept things going strong in 2026 so far. On top of the expected commemorative merch, we've seen a reveal for Gen 10's Winds and Waves, gotten FireRed and LeafGreen on Switch, and seen Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness being added to Nintendo Switch Online.
Things have stayed lively in Legends: Z-A as well, and Pokémon HOME support begins on April 7. If you're looking for ways to mix things up, taking part in the Ranked Battles can be a lot of fun, and with the new rewards in Season 9 dropping, it's good motivation to check out Pokémon Legends: Z-A, even if you've stepped away for a while.
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
English (US) ·