One Switch 2 Feature Could Make Pokemon Winds and Waves The Most Exciting New Entry in A Decade

Pokemon fans still have a little while to wait for the next main series entry. But at last, Pokemon Winds and Waves has been officially revealed, with a general 2027 release window. We know very little about Gen 10 so far, aside from a general look at its setting and the trio of starters. This confirms the game is already leaning into one longtime Pokemon tradition, delivering a Grass, Water, and Fire-type lineup for its first partner Pokemon. But as the first main series game to launch exclusively for Switch 2, Winds and Waves could break another controversial longtime trend.

For many years, Pokemon fans have struggled to avoid spoilers for upcoming games in the series. While those who speedrun the game have long been able to post spoilers, the rise of datamining starting around 2016 has made leaks even bigger and more instantaneous. Over the last 10 years, dataminers have dug into the code for pretty much every big Pokemon release, revealing key details online before the games even came out. Though datamines have a long history, the Nintendo Switch was particularly vulnerable and easy to exploit. That’s what makes the Switch 2 a potentially exciting change for Pokemon games.

Pokemon Datamines Have a Controversial Place in the Fan Community

Data miners have been a part of the Pokemon community, and the broader gaming community, for quite some time. And people have mixed feelings about the way details tend to pop up ahead of new game releases. Even as recently as Pokemon Legends: Z-A, leakers revealed gameplay details, including some new Mega Evolutions not already leaked via the infamous tera leak.

On the one hand, some of the info revealed through data mining can be genuinely useful to players. Leaked event schedules can help gamers plan ahead, and details about moves and abilities can help craft early battle strategies. But these leaks often include other details that not every player wants to chance upon before playing the game for themselves.

Dataminers often reveal hidden mechanics and story details in the information they share. And while some players might be interested to know these tidbits ahead of time, many consider them to be spoilers. As one Redditor puts it, “I’m sick of the entire Pokedex and upcoming events being data mined before the games even release.”

If you want to go into a Pokemon game without spoilers, it can be tough to exist on the internet in the lead-up to a new launch. In the days of algorithmic feeds, that’s even more true, since even Pokemon fans who don’t follow known dataminers could still get their content pushed into their feeds. And that means that many fans are cautiously excited about what the Switch 2 era could mean for pre-release leaks.

The Switch 2’s Datamine-Proof Status Could be Huge for Winds and Waves

The original Switch was easy for dataminers to dig into, leading to plenty of release day and early leaks for big games. As soon as files were accessible, savvy actors could dig through them and reveal all sorts of details. And that means many of the sorts of secrets gamers used to stumble upon organically wind up getting spread across social media before many fans have a chance to play the game. But so far, the Switch 2 has proved difficult for dataminers to crack. And that might be good news for Pokemon fans.

As a newer console with updated hardware, the Switch 2 is proving more resistant to hacking than its predecessor. While it’s likely people will figure out a way to datamine eventually, it’s looking quite possible that it won’t happen until after Pokemon Winds and Waves comes out. And that means that players and prominent Pokemon sites will have to actually play through the games to uncover key details and secrets previously revealed through datamines.

While it’s still possible that some info will leak ahead of time, the Switch 2 could really cut back on what gets unveiled before the game is in players’ hands. Without datamines to pull out all the code from the start, it will take time for people to uncover Pokemon stats, Shiny rates, and find all the new Pokemon when Winds and Waves comes out. And that means it could be the first time in many, many years that players are able to go into a new Pokemon game with relatively few to no major spoilers. If you prefer to meet each new Pokemon, character, and mechanic for the first time while playing, that’s excellent news.

Do you try to avoid spoilers for new Pokemon games, or do you like to dig into the leaks? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!

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