Three years ago, Pokémon witnessed its most significant upheaval in generations with the advent of Mega Evolutions. This revolutionary concept introduced new evolutions for existing Pokémon, but what set it apart was its specific targeting of some of the franchise’s most renowned and already powerful creatures, enhancing their capabilities even further.
Mega Evolution, however, was a temporary phenomenon, accessible only during battles. For a franchise centered on the raising, breeding, and trading of Pokémon, this was a rather unconventional move, often drawing comparisons to the evolution style of the long-gone rival, Digimon.
Now, with Pokémon Sun and Moon just a few weeks away from their release, it has been confirmed that while Mega Evolution is still technically supported for Pokémon transferred into the game, the game itself will not delve deeper into this mechanic. After playing such prominent roles in X and Y, and then in the intervening Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, it comes as a surprise to see this mechanic taking a backseat. No new Mega Evolutions have been showcased or are anticipated.
In a conversation with Eurogamer, Pokémon director Junichi Masuda shed light on the shift in focus and the reason behind the introduction of a new mechanic in Sun and Moon, called Z-Moves. “This time in Pokémon Sun and Moon, we have a variety of different elements for people to enjoy, and one of them is Z-Moves,” Masuda stated. “This is a feature that every Pokémon can utilize.”
“What we aim to achieve now is to provide a means for people to employ the Pokémon they desire to use, be it their favorite types or their beloved Pokémon. Even those that were not as popular previously can now take the spotlight in battles. That is why we have focused on Z-Moves this time,” he explained.
It’s not merely about enabling the use of your favorites (as many of the most popular Pokémon did receive Mega Evolutions). It is also a means to bring lesser-used creatures to the forefront and give them a boost. “Previously, there were Pokémon that were not frequently utilized in battles, and now they might gain more prominence with the thought of ‘ah, I can use this in this manner’,” Masuda continued. “And perhaps create a different effect than was previously achievable.”
It seems that the era of Mega Evolution is coming to an end – at least for the time being. “Each time we create a new game, we consider a specific theme and the particular elements that would complement that game,” Masuda responded when asked about the possibility of Mega Evolution’s return. “This time, we have our Z-Moves. But if a future game emerges where we believe Mega Evolutions would be a great fit, we will certainly explore the possibility… However, at the moment, we do not have any specific plans.”
