A new Pokémon Legends Z-A leak claims that a popular Hoenn Legendary Pokémon will make its return in the open-world RPG. However, the epic Mega Evolution might actually be locked behind paid PLZA DLC.

Pokémon Legends Z-A Mega Rayquaza Leaked, But Is It Real?

Fans of Ruby & Sapphire were sent into a frenzy when a reportedly leaked image appeared to show Rayquaza in Pokémon Legends Z-A. The screenshot that made the rounds online shows the Hoenn Legendary in its iconic Mega Evolution forme. However, the leak might have also revealed that Mega Rayquaza will only be available in future PLZA DLC.

In the supposed in-game screenshot, there are watermarks with Japanese text on it. According to users on the LegendsZA subreddit, the words roughly translate to “paid content.” So if true, this would mean that Mega Rayquaza will be locked behind eventual DLC in the Switch 2 RPG.

The timing is a bit interesting, as we recently got a leak claiming Pokémon Legends Z-A DLC was still in the works despite being delayed from its release window.

Perhaps the Hoenn Legendary will be a part of the rumored expansion? You can see the full PLZA image leak here. Mega Rayquaza originally made its debut in the Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire games, which launched on the 3DS in 2014. Of course, it should be stated to take this latest leak with a major grain of salt. Unlike previous rumors, such as the Mega Starmie PLZA leak, this one might have some issues with it.

Is PLZA Mega Rayquaza Real?

On the surface, there are a few things that have me skeptical about this leak. For starters, this is the first leaked image from PLZA that has watermarks, which, if I’m being honest, feels a bit odd. More importantly, though, the Mega Rayquaza leak didn’t come from the usual credible sources. And if you are wondering, Pokémon Legends Z-A has had a lot of leaks since late 2024, and the majority of them have been proven real.

On the other hand, the Mega Rayquaza image posted on social media does look real. Like, it seems to have similar lighting to Pokémon models we’ve already seen in the game officially. So in terms of its design and in-game imagery, it looks spot on. But then again, it’s pretty impressive what fan artists can now pull off, especially with AI and 3D rendering programs. So it could just be a really good fake.

Another thing to consider is that The Pokémon Company has recently been promoting the Hoenn Legendary a lot lately. For example, Mega Rayquaza recently made its return to Pokémon GO as a special raid. And at the Pokémon World Championships in August, they confirmed the correct way to pronounce Rayquaza’s name. Again, not full proof, this leak is legit, but the Hoenn Legendary seems to be in the air a lot lately.