Pokémon Winds and Waves: Release date, starters, region and everything we know

Pokémon Winds and Waves will officially mark the next generation of Pokémon, and in more ways than one.

Coming to the Nintendo Switch 2 in 2027, they’ll bring never-before-seen Pokémon including three new starters: Browt, Pombon and Gecqua.

Both Nintendo and The Pokémon Company have confirmed the new region will be a series of islands, with an emphasis on deep-sea exploration.

This article was last updated on 11 November, 2026.

Pokémon Winds and Waves latest news

While Nintendo, The Pokémon Company or Game Freak have said nothing recently about Pokémon Winds and Waves, fans have been working on a new mapping project to give us a taste of what this new region could look like.

Similar to the mapping project of Grand Theft Auto VI, the project uses landmarks spotted in the game’s trailers to figure out the shape of the map, its density and above all else, how large it is.

Pokémon Winds and Waves release date

The release date for Pokémon Winds and Waves is sometime in 2027, though Nintendo, The Pokémon Company and Game Freak are yet to confirm the exact date.

Due to the game’s tropical theme, a Summer 2027 release seems likely.

When could the release date be announced?

An official update on the release date of Pokémon Winds and Waves could be dropped anytime, in theory.

However, the likely answer to this question is February 27 2027. This is the next annual Pokémon Day, and the usual time when new information on future games is shared via a Pokémon Direct showcase.

What platforms are Pokémon Winds and Waves coming to?

Pokémon Winds and Waves will launch exclusively for the Nintendo Switch 2, making it a true new-gen title.

Will Pokémon Winds and Waves come to the original Switch?

Nintendo, The Pokémon Company and Game Freak have confirmed Pokémon Winds and Waves is a Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive, meaning there’ll be no supported version for the Nintendo Switch.

Pokémon Winds and Waves trailer

Pokémon Winds and Waves first official trailer showed off the tropical islands we’ll get to explore, and the vast ocean between them.

We also saw what could be new, regional variants of Pikachu, who are wearing Summer attire. It’s unknown whether these will be catchable or rather unique NPCs we’ll interact with throughout the main story.

Also shown off were a variety of Pokémon living in their unique biomes. From the ocean floor to luscious jungles, there should be plenty to catch including new and fan-favourite ‘mon.

Finally, we got a closer look at the three starter Pokémon; Browt, Pombon and Gecqua, but we’re yet to see their evolutions.

Pokémon Winds and Waves region and open world

The new region seen in Pokémon Winds and Waves is yet to be officially named by Nintendo, The Pokémon Company or Game Freak, but it looks good so far.

It’s made up of several islands though it’s currently unknown how we’ll be able to get across them. A vast ocean lies between each one so we’ll probably need to use our Pokémon to surf across, but there could also be some sort of vehicle or contraption to use as transport.

Pokémon Winds and Waves will go much deeper than the ocean’s surface however…

Can you explore underwater?

Yes, Pokémon Winds and Waves players will be able to explore underwater, but we’re yet to learn how.

This is a feature we’ve seen in past Pokémon games like Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver, but hasn’t been done in any of the modern games until now.

Every confirmed Pokémon Winds and Waves starter

Browt

Browt the “Bean Chick Pokémon” is a Grass-Type with a height of 0.3 m and a weight of 3.5 kg. Its ability is Overgrow, and in terms of design he’s an angry little bird. Still cute though. We’re expecting Browt to be the popular choice when the game launches in 2027.

Pombon

Pombon the Puppy Pokémon is a Fire-Type standing at 0.4 m whilst weighing 6.7 kg. Its ability is called Blaze. Pombon’s likely going to be a double-edged sword, as it’ll be useful against the Grass and Flying types that’ll probably be common on the game’s islands, but less effective for ocean exploration.

Gecqua

Gecqua is the Water Gecko Pokémon, a Water-Type with a height of 0.3 m, weight of 4.3 kg and the Torrent ability.

None of the evolutionary forms have been confirmed at the time of writing, nor any additional types these Pokémon could possess when they do evolve.

What is different between Pokémon Winds and Pokémon Waves?

At the time of writing few comparisons can be drawn between Pokémon Winds and Waves. The open-world will remain the same, but there’ll likely be version-exclusive Pokémon in each one to promote trading.

The only confirmed difference so far are the player’s main outfit, which changes between versions.

Pokémon Winds and Waves gameplay

The Pokémon Winds and Waves footage shown off so far has all been captured in-game, but we’re yet to see raw gameplay akin to what we’ll experience ourselves.

Will Pokémon Winds and Waves have multiplayer?

Nintendo, The Pokémon Company and Game Freak are yet to confirm online functionality for Pokémon Winds and Waves.

Will traditional Pokémon battles and gyms return?

Pokémon Scarlet and Violet marked the first time players could attempt Pokémon Gyms out of order, but it was a half-baked mechanic as the level of these gyms didn’t scale with the player’s team.

Nintendo, The Pokémon Company and Game Freak are yet to confirm how the gyms will work in Pokémon Winds and Waves.