Expert Insights: Austin King's Journey at ScreenRant and Pokémon Legends: Z-A Updates

By  Published May 8, 2026, 8:34 AM EDT Austin King is the Senior Editor of Gaming at ScreenRant and has been with the site since 2026 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 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 , , and at Summary Generate a summary of this story follow Follow followed Followed Like Like Log in Here is a fact-based summary of the story contents: Try something different: Show me the facts Explain it like I’m 5 Give me a lighthearted recap

is getting various new freebies this month. Whether you're chipping away at post-game, finishing the Mega Dimension DLC, or just working on Ranked Battles, there's still plenty to do in the latest Pokémon entry. And while there are still a number of for Mystery Gifts, you don't need codes to get the latest free downloads for May 2026.

One of the ways Pokémon Legends: Z-A keeps its longevity is through Ranked Battles. Each season lasts for three weeks, allowing participants to rise through the ranks for better rewards. Now, thanks to the official website, we have confirmation that Season 11 of Ranked Battles will begin next week.

According to the site, Season 11 of Ranked Battles will start on Wednesday, May 13, 2026, at 11:00 pm PT to Wednesday, June 3, 2026, at 6:59 pm PT. The current will end shortly before that, so be sure to claim any rewards you've accumulated. As usual, you'll begin at Rank Z and have to complete challenges to raise your rank. The higher the rank, the bettter the rewards, with Rank A being the highest.

If it's your first time competing, you can also get various Mega Stones as rewards too. The Mega Stones returning as promotion rewards for Season 11 are , Baxcalibrite, Sceptilite, Swampertite, and Blazikenite. You can get these by reaching Rank Y through Rank S.

The following rewards are up for grabs in Season 11 of Pokémon Legends: Z-A's Ranked Battles:

• Rank A
  • Gold Bottle Cap ×3
  • Bottle Cap ×5
  • Seed of Mastery ×3
  • Big Nugget ×1

• Rank B to Rank E
  • Gold Bottle Cap ×2
  • Bottle Cap ×3
  • Seed of Mastery ×2
  • Nugget ×2

• Rank F to Rank I
  • Gold Bottle Cap ×1
  • Bottle Cap ×2
  • Seed of Mastery ×1
  • Nugget ×2

• Rank J to Rank M
  • Bottle Cap ×1
  • Seed of Mastery ×1
  • Nugget ×2

• Rank N to Rank R
  • Seed of Mastery ×1
  • Nugget ×1

• Rank S and Below
  • Nugget ×1

Once the season begins, you'll need to go to Link Play in Pokémon Legends: Z-A's menu and then select Ranked Battles. This is also how you claim your rewards once the season has ended. If you've never participated, this can be a great way to get helpful items, and there are three different rewards: seasonal, promotional, and battle. You'll get battle rewards as soon as you win a battle, promotion rewards when you achieve a new rank, and then seasonal rewards once Season 11 ends.

9/10 Like Follow Followed Top Critic Avg: 79/100 Critics Rec: 65% Released October 16, 2026 ESRB Everyone 10+ / Fantasy Violence, In-Game Purchases Developer(s) Game Freak, Creatures Inc. Publisher(s) Nintendo, The Pokemon Company Engine Proprietary 7 Images Close

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