Pokémon Winds and Pokémon Waves open the tenth generation of the series. Announced on 27 February 2026 for Pokémon's 30th anniversary, they launch in 2027, worldwide on the same day, exclusively on Nintendo Switch 2. Three starters, an island region, two Pikachu in holiday clothes: that is what is settled. The rest gets sorted below, rumour by rumour.
The two logos, revealed on 27 February 2026. © 2026 Pokémon / Nintendo / Creatures / GAME FREAK
When does Pokémon Winds and Waves come out?
In 2027, and that is all. The Pokémon Company promises a simultaneous global release, exclusively on Nintendo Switch 2. No day, month or season has been given, and nothing new about the game itself has been shown since the announcement on 27 February 2026.
The rumour mill has an opinion, though. Centro Leaks, an account with a decent track record on the series, has been saying since 28 April 2026 that both games are aiming for late 2027, that they are already content-complete, and that the wait is mostly about optimisation and letting the Switch 2 install base grow. The same account expects no new information at all in 2026. That matches what we can see: the only release this summer was a behind-the-scenes video of the main theme being recorded by the NHK Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Daisuke Nagamine. Music, not gameplay.
One number puts the wait in perspective: Pokémon Scarlet and Violet came out on 18 November 2022. A new generation in 2027 means a five-year gap, the longest between two generations since Red and Green in 1996; the previous gaps were three or four years. In the meantime the series has filled the calendar differently: Pokémon Legends: Z-A in October 2025, Pokémon Pokopia in March 2026 and its Bubbly Basin DLC in August, Pokémon Champions in April.
| Fact sheet | What is settled |
|---|---|
| Titles | Pokémon Winds and Pokémon Waves (Vents et Vagues in French, Wind und Welle in German, Viento y Oleaje in Spanish) |
| Announced | 27 February 2026, 30th anniversary Pokémon Presents |
| Release | 2027, worldwide and simultaneous, date unknown |
| Platform | Nintendo Switch 2 only |
| Development | Game Freak; published by Nintendo and The Pokémon Company |
| Languages | Nine, including Portuguese, a first for the main series |
| Price | Not announced. A German retailer lists 79.99 euros per version for pre-orders |
| Rating | PEGI 7, provisional |
Treat the price with care. The 79.99 euros come from an Amazon Germany listing spotted by Journal du Geek on 21 May 2026, not from Nintendo. Retailers routinely put a placeholder on a pre-order and adjust it once the real price is announced. It would be ten euros more than Legends: Z-A and Pokopia, which would not be absurd for a Switch 2 game of this scale, but nothing has confirmed it.
Watch the announcement trailer for Pokémon Winds and Pokémon Waves
What are the Pokémon Winds and Waves starters?
Three newcomers: Browt, the Bean Chick Pokémon, Grass type; Pombon, the Puppy Pokémon, Fire type; and Gecqua, the Water Gecko Pokémon, Water type. The Pokémon Company has already published their entries with height, weight and Ability. Their evolutions remain under wraps.
Browt, Pombon and Gecqua, left to right. © 2026 Pokémon / Nintendo / Creatures / GAME FREAK
| Starter | Type | Category | Height and weight | Ability |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Browt | Grass | Bean Chick Pokémon | 1', 7.7 lbs (0.3 m, 3.5 kg) | Overgrow |
| Pombon | Fire | Puppy Pokémon | 1'4", 14.8 lbs (0.4 m, 6.7 kg) | Blaze |
| Gecqua | Water | Water Gecko Pokémon | 1', 9.5 lbs (0.3 m, 4.3 kg) | Torrent |
The Abilities are the ones every starter has carried since Generation 3: Overgrow, Blaze and Torrent boost the Pokémon's own type moves once its HP drops below a third. No surprise there, which suggests the Hidden Abilities, if there are any, will be revealed later.
Browt in front of a waterfall. © 2026 Pokémon / Nintendo / Creatures / GAME FREAK
Browt "runs about energetically while photosynthesizing using the leaves on its brow", says its entry, adding that it is "lively, but it can also be a bit clumsy". The leafy brow gives it a permanently cross expression, and that alone has made it the internet's early favourite.
Pombon, sixteen inches of Pomeranian. © 2026 Pokémon / Nintendo / Creatures / GAME FREAK
Pombon is a sixteen-inch Pomeranian. "The area below its throat glows faintly from the heat-generating organ within its lungs", the entry explains, describing it as guileless and friendly. A puppy as a Fire starter is a first: earlier picks ran from the chick Torchic to the crocodile Fuecoco, and most of them end up standing on two legs by their final stage. Nothing has been announced for Pombon, but history has a way of repeating itself.
Gecqua and its scheming look. © 2026 Pokémon / Nintendo / Creatures / GAME FREAK
Gecqua, finally, "launches springy balls of water from its tail". It is very intelligent and "maneuvers shrewdly while putting on airs". My personal pick, no hesitation: we had not had a gecko starter since Treecko in 2002, and this one has the face of a Pokémon plotting something.
Who are Mr. Windychu and Ms. Wavychu?
Two Pikachu with a brand-new look, glimpsed in the trailer: Mr. Windychu wears a wide-brimmed hat, sunglasses and a floral shirt, Ms. Wavychu a cap, a flower and a patterned skirt. The Pokémon Company only says they will be involved in your adventure, and promises more details later.
Mr. Windychu and Ms. Wavychu, from the trailer. © 2026 Pokémon / Nintendo / Creatures / GAME FREAK
The names change with the language, and they say a lot about the game's tone: Tornachu and Pikaflo in French, Windchu and Wellchu in German, Sr. Ventachu and Sra. Oleachu in Spanish. One Pikachu per version, wind on one side, waves on the other. The cap-wearing Pikachu distributed since Sun and Moon come to mind, but these two look like part of the story rather than a giveaway. To be continued.
What does the Pokémon Winds and Waves region look like?
Like an archipelago. The Pokémon Company describes "windswept islands and a vast ocean with glittering waves", an open world where Pokémon "have developed their own unique ecosystems". The region's name has not been revealed. The trailer shows a jungle, waterfalls, reefs, a village on stilts, a glowing tower, and sequences below the surface.
Two Wingull above a reef. © 2026 Pokémon / Nintendo / Creatures / GAME FREAK
Underwater exploration is the most visible novelty: the hero swims above the coral, then dives below, a mechanic the main series had not offered since the dives of Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire in 2014. On a map made of islands, that is what gives the world depth, quite literally.
On inspiration, caution again. Many players see Southeast Asia in the landscapes, the thatched roofs and the clothing patterns, from Indonesia to the Philippines. It is a community reading, a plausible one, but Game Freak has said nothing about the region's real-world model. Kalos was France and Paldea the Iberian Peninsula: we will know at the first proper showcase.
Corsola, Sizzlipede and a stilt village at sunset. © 2026 Pokémon / Nintendo / Creatures / GAME FREAK
The heroes get around on a powered board, visible in the artwork and in one trailer sequence; its name and how it works have not been detailed. Several sites tie it to Rotom, like the phone in Scarlet and Violet, but that is only a guess.
Krabby and Sandygast at night, under a cloud some people find suspicious. © 2026 Pokémon / Nintendo / Creatures / GAME FREAK
What is the difference between Pokémon Winds and Pokémon Waves?
The only confirmed difference is the wardrobe: the main character's outfit changes with the version. Yellow and blue with a soft hat in Pokémon Winds; pink and green with a cap in Pokémon Waves. Both outfits exist for the boy and the girl. Nothing has been said about version-exclusive Pokémon or Legendaries.
The Pokémon Winds outfit. © 2026 Pokémon / Nintendo / Creatures / GAME FREAK
The Pokémon Waves outfit. © 2026 Pokémon / Nintendo / Creatures / GAME FREAK
Nine previous generations say there will be some: every pair of versions has had exclusives, and since Ruby and Sapphire each version has had its own cover Legendary. The two Pikachu, Mr. Windychu for Winds and Ms. Wavychu for Waves, suggest wind and sea will shape that split. If two of you play at home, take one version each and the Pokédex question solves itself.
Which Pokémon are confirmed for Winds and Waves?
Twenty-five known species have been identified in the trailer, on top of the three starters and the two Pikachu, according to Nintendo Life's tally. They come from seven different generations and almost all of them have something to do with the sea, the beach or the jungle.
Gloom and Tropius in the jungle. © 2026 Pokémon / Nintendo / Creatures / GAME FREAK
The list: Pikachu, Oddish, Gloom, Krabby, Tangela, Ledyba, Ledian, Slugma, Corsola, Taillow, Wingull, Wailmer, Wailord, Duskull, Tropius, Carnivine, Lumineon, Tympole, Frillish, Tynamo, Mareanie, Toxapex, Sandygast, Sizzlipede and Nymble. Corsola appears in its pink Johto form, not the bleached Galarian variant, judging by the sunset village shot.
The total species count and the number of new Pokémon are unknown. Rumours mention around a hundred new Pokémon for a regional Pokédex of roughly 400, in line with Paldea, but no source has confirmed it. The only Legendary hint is an oddly shaped cloud, visible at night in the trailer, that some read as a dragon's silhouette. To brush up on what separates a Legendary from a Mythical before the announcements land, our guide to the difference between the two has it covered.
Are turn-based battles going away?
Not right away, but the question has been raised by Game Freak itself. In a video from its Secret Base series published on 20 August 2026, Shigeki Morimoto, in charge of battles since the series began, and Kazumasa Iwao, director of Pokémon Champions, explain that the turn-based rule could evolve in future games.
Their line, as translated from the video: "The Pokémon series has always used a turn-based battle system, but there is the possibility that this rule could change little by little." The two add that Pokémon Champions, released on 8 April 2026 on Switch and Switch 2 and on 17 June on mobile, was built to keep a place where the classic system lives on, whatever happens to the main series. Pokémon Legends: Z-A had already switched to real-time battles in October 2025.
The takeaway: nobody has said Winds and Waves are dropping turn-based battles. The trailer shows no battle at all, which is unusual for a generation reveal, and Game Freak has chosen to prepare the ground. The late-August headlines announcing the end of turn-based combat go further than the video does.
Who is directing Pokémon Winds and Waves?
Nothing confirmed. According to Centro Leaks on 12 August 2026, the games are directed by Hiroyuki Tani, who led the Sword and Shield Expansion Pass, and Katsuhiko Ichiraku, one of the directors of the Scarlet and Violet DLC. It would be the first new generation without Shigeru Ohmori at the helm since Sun and Moon in 2016. Neither Game Freak nor The Pokémon Company has reacted, and neither name appears in any published document.
Confirmed, rumour or unknown: the table
| Topic | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 2027 release, worldwide, Switch 2 only | Confirmed | The Pokémon Company, 27 February 2026 |
| Starters, categories, Abilities, sizes | Confirmed | The Pokémon Company website |
| Mr. Windychu and Ms. Wavychu in the adventure | Confirmed, role unknown | The Pokémon Company |
| Different outfits per version | Confirmed | The Pokémon Company |
| Late 2027 release, games content-complete | Rumour | Centro Leaks, 28 April 2026 |
| 79.99 euro price | Unconfirmed | Retailer listing, May 2026 |
| Directors Tani and Ichiraku | Rumour | Centro Leaks, 12 August 2026 |
| Region inspired by Southeast Asia | Community reading | No source |
| End of turn-based battles in this game | Not announced | Game Freak mentions gradual change |
| Region name, Legendaries, starter evolutions, HOME | Unknown | Nothing published |
How to get ready before 2027?
Three useful things to do before launch. First, rescue your old Pokémon: Pokémon Bank closes on 26 February 2027, and anything still sitting on a 3DS has to move to HOME before that date, we have laid out the steps. Nothing has been announced about Winds and Waves connecting to HOME, but every generation has got it, a few months after release in the case of Scarlet and Violet.
Second, get back in the swing. If you left the series after the DS, our chronology of the DS games helps place what has changed, and our guide to the best Pokémon game tells you where to pick up depending on your style. Third, keep an eye on the calendar: the end of 2026 is already packed for the 30th anniversary, between cards and boxes, we have set it out month by month. Winds and Waves come after all that.
To write this piece I went through The Pokémon Company's page in its French, English, German and Spanish versions, to pick up the exact names in each language rather than translate them by hand. We will update the article with every announcement, under the same rule: what is confirmed on one side, what is circulating on the other.
Questions we get about Pokémon Winds and Waves
When does Pokémon Winds and Waves come out?
In 2027, on the same day worldwide, exclusively on Nintendo Switch 2. No precise date has been given. The most widely shared rumour, from Centro Leaks, points to late 2027, and no new information is expected before 2027.
Will Pokémon Winds and Waves come to the original Switch?
No. Both games are announced exclusively for Nintendo Switch 2, with no version for the 2017 Switch. It is the first generation in the series to leave the older console behind from day one.
What are the Pokémon Winds and Waves starters?
Browt, a Grass-type chick with the Overgrow Ability; Pombon, a Fire-type puppy with Blaze; and Gecqua, a Water-type gecko with Torrent. They stand one foot to sixteen inches tall and their evolutions have not been shown.
What is the difference between Pokémon Winds and Pokémon Waves?
For now, the main character's outfit: yellow and blue in Winds, pink and green in Waves. Version-exclusive Pokémon and Legendaries have not been announced, but every generation has had them.
How much will Pokémon Winds and Waves cost?
Nintendo has not given a price. An Amazon Germany pre-order listing shows 79.99 euros per version, ten euros more than Legends: Z-A, but a retailer price ahead of the announcement commits nobody.
Will you be able to transfer Pokémon from Pokémon HOME?
Nothing has been announced. Every recent generation has got its HOME connection a few months after release, and there is no reason this one should be the exception. What is urgent is the Pokémon Bank shutdown on 26 February 2027: Pokémon still on 3DS have to move up to HOME before then.
Sources: The Pokémon Company's game website (FR, EN, DE, ES versions), pokemon.com, Nintendo's Switch 2 page for Pokémon Viento, Journal du Geek, Nintendo Life, Screen Rant, Gamewave, Nintendo-Difference, Dexerto, GamesRadar, VGC, Centro Leaks. Visuals: images and artwork published by The Pokémon Company on the game's website, trailer thumbnail from the Pokémon France YouTube channel. © 2026 Pokémon / Nintendo / Creatures / GAME FREAK