This Viral Pokemon Cutscene Is Why Legends: ZA Is Already Controversial

Although Pokemon Legends: ZA it's been out for barely a day in some regions and only hours in the rest of the world, it's already causing a lot of controversy. Pokemon games are often controversial among fans due to the addition of some problematic features or the lack of long-requested ones, such as performance issues Pokemon Scarlet and Violet or Dexit of Pokemon Sword and Shield. In case Pokemon Legends: ZAalthough it was not expected to have this feature, the consensus is that it should be the last Pokemon game without voice acting.

According to some fans, Pokemon Sword and Shield set the series back a few years. While the Dexit issue remains problematic and sad to this day, as fans would very much like to have all existing Pokémon in any game, another pain point was revealed when players encountered one of the key Gen 8 Gym Leaders: Piers. This character was known for his singing abilities, but thanks to the Gym Leader cutscene, he is on stage without music or voice acting. The cutscene went viral beforehand Pokemon Legends: ZAand since the new game also features some clunky cutscenes without voice control, players are getting sick of it.

Pokemon Legends: ZA's Voice Acting Controversy Explained

There are many reasons to play voice over Pokemon games have always been a recurring problem. These are:

Fans criticize Game Freak and The Pokemon Company for not having any voice acting in it Pokemon games, despite being one of the biggest franchises in the world.
The Gen 5 games featured examples of voice acting, specifically a game with Roxie singing on stage – something Pokemon Sword and ShieldPiers will never make it.
Since the Pokemon anime has voice acting for the games' NPCs, many fans would like them to be added to the games as well.
From Pokemon games are usually played by children too, it would be beneficial for them to hear the words they are reading spoken by a human.
Games usually have a musical score and tunes, but not actual songs. However, Ed Sheeran's song in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet set a new precedent that Legends: ZA ignores
Pokemon the games turn 30 next year and voice acting has been in demand for many years.
Pokemon The leaked Gen 10 procedural may remove the hand-crafted aspect of the series' world, so adding voice acting could help.

Pokemon Legends: ZANew Mega Evolutions are often unlocked after fighting Rogue Megas in Lumiose City alongside key characters like Lida or Taunie/Urbain, but they never talk to each other. Even while exploring, players sometimes get small text windows from NPCs alerting them to something, but there is no voice control involved.

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One of the most underappreciated parts of the game so far is the cutscene where Zygarde suddenly takes the player to a rooftop to fight a Rogue Mega Evolution in Pokemon Legends: ZAbut characters like Emma and AZ only have lines of text, making the experience terrifying at best. Likewise, one of the opening cutscenes has Eternal Flower Floette using Light of Ruin to intimidate some trainers standing at the battle zone gate, but Taunia/Urbain's voice isn't there and even Floette's attack has no sound.

Why Pokémon Gen 10 must be the end of an era

Given how long players have wanted voice acting in the series, it would make sense to finally grant that wish in Gen 10. Pokemon Gen 10 will be released in 2026, four years after that Scarlet and Violetthe backlash that there is no voice in the game could be even greater than the one that surrounded the Piers cutscene in Gen 8. Fans will have to wait, but The Pokemon Company and Game Freak may have to back down eventually.