Bengaluru, February 28: The Pokemon Company and Nintendo have officially announced Pokemon Winds and Pokemon Waves, the next generation of mainline Pokemon games, during a special Pokemon Presents livestream on February 27, 2026. The reveal comes as the franchise celebrates 30 Years of Pokemon, marking a major milestone for one of the most successful video game series in history.

Set for a global release in 2027, Pokemon Winds and Pokemon Waves will launch exclusively on the Nintendo Switch 2. This makes them the first core Pokemon titles to skip the original Switch hardware entirely. The games are being developed by Game Freak, which appears to be taking additional development time to fully utilise the enhanced processing power and graphical capabilities of the new console. 'Marvel’s Wolverine' PS5 Release Date Announced: Liam McIntyre Cast As Logan in Insomniac’s New Standalone Game - Details Inside.

New Region and Open World Evolution

While the official name of the new region has not yet been revealed, early footage suggests a setting inspired by tropical Southeast Asian archipelagos. Players can expect a seamless open world environment featuring expansive oceans, windswept islands, dynamic weather systems, and improved environmental detail.

The longer development cycle is widely seen as a response to technical criticism faced by 2022’s Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, with fans hoping for smoother frame rates and higher fidelity visuals. Epic Games Store Free Games 2026: Platform Teases 2 Final Mystery Titles After Chivalry 2 Giveaway.

New Starter Pokemon Revealed

The presentation introduced three new starter Pokemon that players will choose from at the beginning of their journey:

  • Browt, a Grass type Bean Chick Pokemon

  • Pombon, a Fire type Puppy Pokemon with a Pomeranian like mane

  • Gecqua, a Water type Water Gecko Pokemon with large expressive eyes

Expanded Features and Legacy Titles

Pokemon Winds and Pokemon Waves are expected to feature graphical upgrades, better draw distances, and deeper environmental interaction. The games will also support Brazilian Portuguese for the first time, expanding Pokemon’s reach in South America.

To keep fans engaged until 2027, classic titles such as Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen and Pokemon XD Gale of Darkness will be added to the Nintendo Switch Online service.

With 30 Years of Pokemon celebrated worldwide, Winds and Waves are positioned to usher in a bold new era for the franchise on Switch 2.

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(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 28, 2026 11:16 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).