Pokemon Switch 2 Games Announced: Winds and Waves Coming 2027

Pokemon Winds and Waves, the inaugural mainline titles for the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2, were officially announced on Friday. These new games are slated for a 2027 release and will be exclusive to the Switch 2.

The forthcoming titles appear to embrace a fully explorable open-world design, reminiscent of Pokemon Scarlet and Violet. The new region is characterized by numerous islands separated by vast ocean expanses, a feature that evokes the gameplay mechanics of the third-generation Ruby and Sapphire titles.

Fans were treated to the debut of three starter Pokemon: Browt, a grass-type chickadee; Gecqua, a water-type gecko; and Pombon, a fire-type orange pup. Several beloved Pokemon from previous generations, including Pikachu, Wailord, and Tropius, will also make an appearance in these new adventures.

This announcement follows the release of Pokemon Scarlet and Violet four years prior. While those games introduced an open-world format, they were hampered by performance issues on the original Switch. Pokemon Winds and Waves, developed for the more powerful Switch 2 hardware, is expected to offer a significantly improved gaming experience.