A new set of main series Pokémon games is coming to the Nintendo Switch 2 in 2027. This release will mark the tenth installment in the franchise. The announcement came during a livestream celebrating the thirtieth anniversary of the original Pokémon games. The new titles are called “Pokémon Winds and Waves,” and they will be open-world adventures set across a vast ocean dotted with islands.
The three new starter Pokémon were also revealed. Browt is a grass-type “bean chick” that resembles an Angry Bird. Pombon is a fire-type inspired by a Pomeranian. Gecqua is a water-type gecko with distinctive pink eyes.
Leakers have previously suggested the new game is set in a region inspired by Indonesia and Southeast Asia. While the trailer does not explicitly confirm this, it showcases lush jungles, seaside mountains, tropical towns, and underwater reefs that strongly support the rumor. Fans have also focused on a suspicious-looking cloud in the trailer that appears to show a creature resembling a cross between Gyarados and Lapras flying through the sky. This has sparked theories it may hint at a new legendary Pokémon.
Pokémon previously explored a tropical setting with the Hawaii-inspired “Sun and Moon” games nearly a decade ago. However, there is much more to explore in such a setting, especially now that the franchise has fully embraced open-world maps. Not all tropical archipelagos are the same.
Main series Pokémon games are typically released in November. If that pattern holds, it means fans have almost two years to wait before exploring this new region. It already feels like a long time since “Pokémon Scarlet and Violet” launched in 2022. That game faced criticism for feeling rushed and being filled with glitches. If a later release date for “Winds and Waves” results in a more polished and incredible experience, many fans are happy to wait.
In the meantime, Pokémon fans can purchase reissues of the “Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen” games for the Switch today. These reissues cost twenty dollars. Some fans note it is unfortunate there is not an extremely easy and legally dubious way to obtain those games for free on a mobile phone.