Over 300 New Pokémon and Latest Rumors Surrounding Winds and Waves
Pokémon WindsandWaves may still be a year away, but the buzz in the community is already heating up with leaks, theories, and a fair share of misinformation. A fresh wave of “leaks” is making the rounds, some stemming from the Teraleak of 2024, which unveiled a treasure trove of details about both new and ongoing projects at Game Freak and The Pokémon Company. Others are popping up from leakers claiming insider access to early builds, alongside the occasional vague social media post. If you’re curious about the chatter, just remember to take it all with a grain of salt.
One of the most talked-about rumors regarding WindsandWaves suggests that the game will introduce over 300 Pokémon to the Pokédex. If this turns out to be true, it would set a new record for the most new additions in a single generation, far surpassing the 151 from the original games. This rumored count is said to include both entirely new species and regional variants of existing Pokémon. There’s speculation that this number might encompass various forms of a mysterious “Seed” Pokémon, which could change based on in-game events, hinting at a significant amount of variability.
We’ve caught glimpses of WindsandWaves’ new battle mechanic, though we haven’t seen it in action yet. Current rumors suggest it will feature weather-based attacks and transformations reminiscent of Mega Evolutions from X and Y or the Gigantamax forms in Sword and Shield that turn Pokémon into colossal creatures. The only evidence so far comes from leaked development footage showing a Pikachu model being distorted, but it’s uncertain whether this was just a placeholder or a glimpse of the final product. If full transformations akin to Megas are included, they’re likely to be much more intricate.
We’ve also seen the initial forms of the new region’s starter Pokémon: Browt, Pombom, and Gecqua. When they evolve into their final forms, they are rumored to have the following typings:
While this doesn’t reveal their final designs, it gives a hint at their type matchups.
Pokémon has been rolling out regional variants for several generations, so it wouldn’t be surprising if WindsandWaves continues this trend. Names are circulating for potential new variants, though details remain vague. Pokémon like Shellos, Salandit, Drowzee, Psyduck, Nincada, Houndour, Zweilous, Onix, and Clamperl are all rumored to be getting some kind of update, although some, like the rumored Ice/Psychic Psyduck variant, are contested among leakers.
WindsandWaves will feature an open world, but it seems players won’t be riding Pokémon for transportation as in Scarlet and Violet. Early leaks suggest that players will use a scooter equipped with a Rotom, serving as their main mode of travel. This scooter is said to hover like a hoverboard and can even tether to Pokémon in certain situations. When the games were revealed earlier this year, fans noticed player characters carrying a board-like device, lending credibility to this leak.
As the Pokémon series has moved into 3D, the absence of voice acting in cinematic scenes has become increasingly noticeable. Legends: Z-A introduced some vocalizations from the player character, but no full sentences were spoken. It’s unclear if this will change in WindsandWaves, but a prominent leaker has suggested that some level of voice recording has occurred for the games.
As with previous Pokémon leaks, early builds may not accurately represent the final product, and even the information from the Teraleaks is a few years old. We’ll find out how much of this holds true when WindsandWaves launches in 2027.
