Pokemon Winds and Waves launch on the Switch 2 in 2027, pokemon reveal at Presents

Nintendo used today’s Pokémon Presents stream to announce Pokémon Wind and Waves as the next mainline entries and confirmed the franchise’s next mainline games will be Switch 2 exclusives that launch in 2027. The pokemon reveal included a trailer that introduced starter pokémon Browt, Pombon and Gecua and teased island and undersea locations.

Pokemon trailer and starter trio

The trailer Nintendo shared showcases a new trio of starter pokémon — Browt, Pombon, and Gecua — and leans into an island setting. It highlights a number of different environments players will explore, and it confirms players will be able to go beneath the ocean while encountering wild pokémon. The trailer does not use any voiceover and offers no firm details about the region it will be set in or the full mechanical structure of the games.

Pokemon island setting and worlds

The presentation establishes that Wind and Waves takes place in an island setting. in a press release that Wind and Waves will be open-world games, and the release also noted that Brazilian Portuguese will be officially supported as a selectable language. The announcement framed the new generation as a time to say goodbye to the Paldea region because a new generation of mainline Pokémon games are on the way.

Graphics, performance and frame rate

The trailer emphasizes much more detailed and complex environments than past titles like Scarlet / Violet and Legends: Z-A. One write-up described how on the earlier hardware—Switch 1—Scarlet and Violet suffered extreme performance issues, were visually rough at times and posted dire frame rates, whereas Switch 2 examples in coverage looked smooth as butter even if not pristine. Winds and Waves, by contrast, is described as looking staggering, with more detailed environments and water effects that represent more than one generational leap ahead. Draw distances appear far better, but there is no real clue yet about stability or target frame rate; one commentator’s pessimist read suggests the games are almost guaranteed to target 30fps, though nothing definitive is known for a good while.

Gameplay mechanics and exploration

Footage teases dense jungles, caves full of magma and vast ocean expanses, and observers pointed out that the scope implies flying and surfing could be major game mechanics — whereas only gliding was central to Scarlet and Violet. Many reactions described the trailer as a stunner, and there is a fairly safe assumption among commentators that freeform exploration similar to Scarlet and Violet will play a significant role in Wind and Waves.

Release timing and other releases

The games were revealed on the 30th anniversary of the series and will arrive in 2027 as exclusives for the Nintendo Switch 2. Coverage of the reveal noted that rumours about this next generation had been plentiful in recent weeks and months, to the point where the titles were all but confirmed a good while ago. Some commentary suggested the titles will be major system-sellers for the Switch 2 when they launch, and that the console will be wanting an exclusive on this level badly. One writer also mentioned a personal note that they hadn’t touched their Switch 2 for 3 months until they got a new, affordable pro controller and couldn’t recommend it enough. With Pokopia about to drop next week, there will be other Pokémon releases to keep fans busy until 2027.

2027 remains a ways off, but Wind and Waves and Winds and Waves have already renewed conversation about what a first-rate, exclusive Pokémon game on Switch 2 could look like.