Pokémon Winds, Pokémon Waves Set for 2027 Release; Pokémon Day Celebrations Show Off New Games

By Kenneth Valencich / Japan News Staff Writer

10:30 JST, March 20, 2026

The Pokémon Company made a slew of announcements on the 30th anniversary of the release of the franchise’s original video games in Japan.

A Pokémon Presents video released on Feb. 27, Pokémon Day, revealed information on the 2026 Pokémon World Championships, a massive event involving video games and the trading card game that will take place in San Francisco in August.

Among the several trailers and previews, the highlight of the presentation was the premier of the “Pokémon Winds” and “Pokémon Waves” trailer.

It began with a short retrospective on the previous nine generations of mainline Pokémon games, with gorgeous art depicting each of their regions.

The trailer then showed player characters, among other hints of what the new games have in store. One scene showed steep hills and a windmill; another showed Tropius, a Pokémon known to live in tropical settings, standing in a lush forest with light shining through its wings; and another showed Wailord blowing water into the air near a rocky shore.

Players can already start to imagine what new kinds of creatures they may encounter and which of the adorable Bean Chick Pokémon Browt, the fiery little dog Pombon or the sleek blue gecko Gecqua will be their first partner.

The final scene before the names of the games were revealed was a dive into the ocean, showing off another vibrant ecosystem with creatures to discover.

The games are slated for a 2027 worldwide release exclusively on the Nintendo Switch 2, marking a surprisingly long wait for a new game since “Pokémon Scarlet” and “Pokémon Violet” were released in November 2022.