Pokemon Winds and Waves: pokemon games set for Switch 2 exclusivity in 2027
The next mainline pokemon games, Pokémon Winds and Waves, will be exclusive to the Nintendo Switch 2 and are scheduled to launch in 2027. The announcement came during a Pokémon Presents stream and was accompanied by a trailer and a company press release.
Winds and Waves announcement
During the Pokémon Presents stream, Nintendo confirmed that Pokémon Winds and Waves are the next installments in the core game series and that they will be Switch 2 exclusives. The company also said in a press release that Winds and Waves will be open‑world games.
Island setting and environments
The trailer establishes that Winds and Waves takes place in an island setting and showcases a range of environments. Players will be able to explore dense jungles, caves full of magma, and areas beneath the ocean, encountering wild pokémon in those locations. The trailer highlights more detailed and complex environments compared with past titles like Scarlet / Violet and Legends: Z‑A.
New starter trio revealed
Nintendo shared a trailer showcasing a new trio of starter pokémon: Browt, Pombon, and Gecua. The trailer does not include voiceover or firm details about the region the games are set in or the precise mechanics, though some observers described it as a stunner and noted that it confirms underwater exploration.
How it compares to past games
Commentary around the reveal contrasted Winds and Waves with earlier entries. Scarlet and Violet were cited for extreme performance issues and, on Switch 1, for being visually poor at times and posting dire frame rates. Legends: Z‑A was described as having repetitive locations, and Sword and Shield was described as restrictive. By contrast, Winds and Waves was described as looking staggering, with water effects that represent more than a single generational leap ahead. Observers noted improved draw distances and suggested flying and surfing may play larger roles, whereas gliding was central to Scarlet and Violet.
Performance, timing and hardware
There is no precise performance data yet: the trailer gives no clear indication of stability or target frame rate. One pessimistic take mentioned that the games are almost guaranteed to target 30fps, but nothing definitive is known. What is known is the release window: the games will launch in 2027 for Switch 2, without a more precise date, and they are expected to be a major system‑seller for the console. Some commentary called the console a superb bit of hardware that will want an exclusive on this scale.
Language support and nearby releases
The company noted that Brazilian Portuguese will be officially supported as a selectable language. The announcement also arrived while Pokopia is set to release next week, leaving plenty to keep pokemon fans occupied in the meantime.
Leading up to the trailer, rumours about the next generation of games had been plentiful and the titles were described as all but confirmed a good while ago. One writer said they had not touched their Switch 2 for three months until acquiring a new, affordable pro controller, and others marked the reveal as occurring on the 30th anniversary of the series. The debut trailer was praised for its presentation, though its lack of mechanical detail left open many questions about how the games will play.
For now, Nintendo's confirmation that Winds and Waves will be open‑world, Switch 2 exclusives arriving in 2027 — with new starters Browt, Pombon and Gecua, island locales including jungles, magma caves and underwater areas, and official Brazilian Portuguese support — comprises the full set of confirmed facts released during the presentation.
