Pokemon Anime Gives a Much Better Idea of When to Expect the Winds and Waves Release Date

Pokemon Winds and Waves is unlikely to be released in the first half of 2027 based on the latest Pokemon anime arc release schedule. Although many fans were expecting a 2026 release for Pokemon Winds and Waves when it was revealed during the Pokemon Day presentation back in February, the Gen 10 games were pushed to a 2027 release window. Now, the Pokemon anime is making it seem like a Fall 2027 release is more likely for Gen 10 than a Spring 2027 one.

Pokemon Gen 10 has been a highly anticipated moment for fans of the franchise after Gen 9 released nearly four years ago with Pokemon Scarlet and Violet in 2022. Since then, the yearly release cycle for new Pokemon games has slowed considerably, with the Hidden Treasure of Areas Zero DLC for Scarlet and Violet releasing in 2023 before the series skipped a new game entirely in 2024. The launch of the Nintendo Switch 2 has drastically improved the performance of Pokemon games, with 2025’s Pokemon Legends: Z-A and 2026’s Pokemon Pokopia as proof. But fans may need to wait longer than expected for Pokemon Winds and Waves to make their debut on the console if the next arc of the Pokemon anime is any indicator.

Pokemon Winds and Waves Gen 10 Games Have a 10/10 Full Circle Moment with Gen 1

There’s a subtle yet strong connection between the original Gen 1 Pokemon games and the recently revealed Gen 10 games, Pokemon Winds and Waves.

Pokemon Horizons: Wonder Voyage’s Air Dates Likely Push Winds and Waves Back to Fall 2027

The official Pokemon Japan X account shared the announcement of the Pokemon Horizons anime’s next arc, titled Wonder Voyage, which is scheduled to air in May 2026. This arc is set to conclude the Pokemon Scarlet and Violet era of the anime, with Liko, Roy, Dot, and Ult, along with a mysterious new character that has a Ditto. The teaser also includes references to Pokemon spin-off games like Pokemon Unite, Pokemon GO, and Pokemon Sleep, suggesting that the anime could include episodes dedicated to these games.

The prominence of Ditto in the reveal poster may also imply a Pokemon Pokopia-themed episode as well.

While the announcement of this new story arc is exciting for fans of the Pokemon anime, it might confirm a disappointing truth about Pokemon Winds and Waves. The Wonder Voyage arc of the Pokemon anime is set to end in April 2027, meaning the next arc of the anime that will presumably introduce the critters and region of Winds and Waves won’t air until May 2028, based on the series’s current pattern. As such, Pokemon Winds and Waves will likely be released in between these arcs, putting its most likely release date somewhere in Fall 2027.

The Pokemon anime has been airing consistently every year since 1997, and it’s unlikely for this pattern to end any time soon. Pokemon Horizons‘ first arc aired back in April 2023, following the release of Pokemon Scarlet and Violet the year prior, and its next two arcs would be released in May 2024 and May 2025, respectively. Now that Wonder Voyage is set to wrap up the Scarlet and Violet era of the anime with episodes airing between May 2026 and April 2027, the next date that could see the start of a new Winds and Waves-themed anime arc is May 2028.

Balance the critic averages

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With it unlikely that the Pokemon anime would start its Winds and Waves arc several months before the games launch, November 2027 seems like the window Gen 10 will release in. There’s always a slim possibility that something changes and Winds and Waves launch in April 2027 so that a new anime arc can start the following month, but fans shouldn’t hold their breath for that to happen.

Source: VICE