2 Key Factors Have Me Feeling Hopeful for Pokemon Winds and Waves

Believe it or not, it’s been 4 years since we first set foot in Paldea with the launch of Pokemon Scarlet and Violet. The 9th-generation game got a mixed reception from fans, in large part due to issues with frame rate, overall visuals, and performance. Now, we finally have the first details for the next generation of main series Pokemon games. Pokemon Winds and Waves got its big reveal on Pokemon Day, as many of us expected. A good bit of trepidation is mixed in with the excitement, as many fans felt disappointed in the last few main series Pokemon games.

So far, the chatter on social media is largely dominated by love for the newly revealed Gen 10 starters. Pombon is taking the lead for its fluffy dog-like vibes, but angry bird Browt isn’t far behind, and Gecqua has her admirers, as well. But alongside that conversation, fans are also talking about 2 key details that many see as downsides. First, the game isn’t coming out until 2027, a longer wait than many expected. And it’s also going to be a Switch 2 exclusive. While there are some drawbacks here, I actually think those 2 facts are great news for Pokemon Winds and Waves.

The Switch 2 Jump Needed to Happen for Pokemon To Level Up

Pokemon Pokopia is technically the first Switch 2 exclusive Pokemon game. But Pokemon Winds and Waves will be the first main series game to release only on Nintendo’s newer console. That has, understandably, upset some Pokemon fans. Though the game won’t release until 2027, that’s still only a couple of years into the life cycle of the Switch 2. And buying a next-gen console isn’t always easy to fit into the budget, especially with prices going up in recent years. So, Nintendo Switch owners who aren’t ready or able to upgrade to the Switch 2 are less than thrilled that Wind and Waves will be a Switch 2 exclusive. However, I do think it’s a good sign for the game’s overall quality.

One of the biggest complaints with recent Pokemon games is that they don’t look good visually, and they don’t run smoothly, either. Even from the trailer, I can tell that developing Wind and Waves for the Switch 2 alone has let Game Freak level up in that regard. Just look at the water in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet or even Pokemon Legends: Z-A compared with what we’ve seen for Wind and Waves so far. And remember the windmill that was the case-in-point for poor frame rates in Scarlet &Violet? The trailer made sure to prove that this game’s windmill looks just fine, thank you very much.

Yes, it’s always upsetting when a new game abandons the previous console generation. But in the case of the Nintendo Switch, the cycle lasted a bit longer than the typical 7-years we’ve previously seen. And that aging hardware is no doubt part of what made the last few Pokemon games feel a bit, well… off. Even if it’s tough budget-wise on fans, I do think that making Pokemon Winds and Waves for the Switch 2 was the right move forward for the franchise. It gives me hope that the game will look and run much better than the last few main series games. And that’s great news. But it’s not the only thing that has me feeling optimistic.

Game Freak Is Taking Its Time with Gen 10, and That’s a Good Thing

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Like many people, I was half expecting Gen 10 to be announced and released this year. After all, new games are often revealed at a Pokemon Presents the same year they’re going to drop. That was the case with Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, and with Pokemon Legends: Z-A. With this year being the 30th anniversary for the franchise, I could easily see Game Freak trying to drop Gen 10 for the symmetry. But even if I’m eager to see what the next installment has to offer, I think letting it cook until 2027 is a very good sign.

In recent years, we’ve had about 3 years between new main series games. Occasionally, like with the gap between Diamond and Pearl and Black and White, it’s been closer to 4 years. But as we saw with Scarlet and Violet, developing a massive, open-world game might require a bit more time. This year already marks 4 years since Scarlet and Violet launched in 2022, so a 2027 release could potentially give us the longest gap between main series games that we’ve seen in series history. But honestly? That’s probably a good thing.

Whether it felt that way internally or not, Scarlet and Violet felt a bit rushed when it released. The glitches and emptiness of the open world added to issues related to the aging Switch hardware, making for an underwhelming release experience. Even as some of those issues have been patched, it didn’t quite live up to what fans hoped to see from the first open-world Pokemon game. Since then, many fans have been asking Game Freak to slow down and take the time to deliver a high-quality next installment. Not rushing to put out Pokemon Wind and Waves just to honor the 4-year-max gap between main series games feels like a good sign that the devs are actually taking that to heart.

Yes, it’s going to be a bit of a longer wait for Gen 10 than we’re used to. But having Game Freak take its time to really polish what’s been confirmed as the next open-world Pokemon game will hopefully mean it’s worth the wait. Plus, that gives fans a little bit more time to get their hands on a Switch 2 for when the time comes.

What do you think of Pokemon Winds and Waves so far? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!