Pokémon Winds and Pokémon Waves set for release on Nintendo Switch 2 in 2027

A brand-new pair of mainline Pokémon titles is officially on the way to the Nintendo Switch 2 in 2027, representing what will be the franchise’s 10th core-series generation.

During a livestream marking exactly 30 years since the original Pokémon games launched, the company revealed Pokémon Winds and Pokémon Waves. The upcoming entries are described as open-world adventures set across an enormous ocean-spanning chain of islands.

The presentation also introduced the three new starter Pokémon: Browt, a Grass-type “bean chick” whose design has already been compared to an Angry Bird; Pombon, a Pomeranian-inspired Fire type that fans are already begging not to evolve into a humanlike, bipedal form; and Gecqua, a wide-eyed Water-type gecko with striking pink eyes.

Rumours from leakers suggest the games take place in a region influenced by Indonesia and broader Southeast Asia. While the trailer stops short of outright confirming the inspiration, it strongly supports the theory, showing dense jungles, coastal mountain ranges, tropical settlements, and even underwater reef environments. Viewers have also pointed out a strange cloud formation in the footage that resembles a flying, hybrid silhouette—something like a Gyarados crossed with Lapras—raising speculation that it could hint at a new legendary Pokémon.

Pokémon has visited tropical-island energy before, with the Hawaii-inspired Sun and Moon era, which released almost a decade ago. However, there’s still an enormous amount of variety to explore within archipelago settings—especially now that the series is leaning deeper into open-world scale and design. Not every island region feels the same, and the trailer suggests this one may have its own identity.

Main series Pokémon releases typically land in November, which would imply we’re looking at nearly two more years before players can travel to this new region—though there’s always a chance of surprises along the way. For many fans, it already feels like a long time since Pokémon Scarlet and Violet launched in 2022. Those games drew criticism for appearing rushed and for shipping with notable technical issues and glitches. So if a later release window means a more polished, more ambitious experience, plenty of players are fine with the wait.

Until then, Pokémon fans can pick up newly released reissues of Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen on Switch starting today—but they’re priced at $20. It’s a shame there isn’t some ridiculously convenient, totally-not-official, legally questionable way to get those classics running on your phone for free.