Pokémon Winds & Waves Battle System And Turn-Based Future Officially Confirmed

2 hours ago 8

Published Aug 24, 2026, 5:35 AM EDT

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With just four months left of the year, it will not be long before all of the highly anticipated 2027 video game releases start arriving and there is no denying that Pokémon Winds & Waves is one of the most anticipated. Set to kickstart Pokémon's 10th generation with a bang, Pokémon Winds & Waves is expected to be the biggest and most ambitious entry yet, taking place across a sprawling archipelago with plenty of underwater areas to explore.

On top of that, players can expect Starter 'mons consisting of Grass-type Browt, the Fire-type Pombon, and the Water-type Gecqua, and one leak even claims that there will be over 300+ brand-new Pokémon added to the ever-growing roster. Announced as part of Pokémon's 30th anniversary celebrations, it is no wonder that fans are hoping that Pokémon Winds & Waves will blow all previous entries out of the water when it comes to sheer scale and prowess.

After all, the most recent Legends saga has received mixed reviews from critics and the general audience alike, with many complaints centering around the lack of ambition and growth between entries. However, a brand-new leak concerning Pokémon Winds & Waves hints at one Legends feature making a return.

According to Centro LEAKS over on Twitter/X, Pokémon Winds & Waves will feature a battle system that "is a mix of the classic turn-based battles with some of the features introduced in the Legends games." However, the main change is that "area of effect attacks will now be a thing and the gimmick plays a role on them."

With many fans disliking the real-time mechanics introduced in the Legends saga, and much preferring the original turn-based mechanics, whilst others were happy with the fresh new change, it seems as though combining the two is a sure-fire way to guarantee enjoyment by all players. However, it is also worth pointing out that this has not yet been confirmed, and so it is worth taking with a pinch of salt as always.

Nevertheless, that did not stop Pokémon fans from taking to the comments to share their thoughts on this potential battle system mixup.

"Please tell me it’s like Legends where you can catch a Pokémon by hitting them with a Pokéball without initiating a battle?" One user asked, to which Centro LEAKS replied, "Yes."

An Alpha Charizard roars next to its Trainer in Pokemon Legends Z-A.

Another user was less convinced, sharing, "They really should just stick with turn-based. This is about to be a mess and I bet the AI will always get a cheat first move." Another said, "Regardless of my love for Legends Arceus, ZA was a step-down from it. And BOTH did alienate the base fans used to the original battle system. This may be a bad move for the main series."

It remains to be seen if Pokémon Winds & Waves will incorporate the two distinct playstyles into its game, or welcome back the return of turn-based combat. Hopefully, we will receive more news soon as 2027 gets closer.