Pokemon Has Basically Found a Replacement for Eevee, and I'll Be Shocked if Winds and Waves Doesn't Give it a New Form

It’s not surprising to learn that Eevee is one of the most popular Pokemon in the franchise, having headlined its own game alongside Pikachu in Pokemon Let’s Go Pikachu and Eevee. However, as Pokemon Winds and Waves approaches, Eevee’s time in the spotlight may be coming to a close, and a new Gen 1 critter is poised to eclipse it. Fans may need to prepare to say goodbye to any hope of a new Eeveelution in Pokemon Winds and Waves, but will likely get to say hello to a brand-new form of Meowth when the Gen 10 games launch.

Despite its popularity for the ability to evolve into one of eight different creatures, Eevee hasn’t received a new evolution since Sylveon was added in Pokemon X and Y, all the way back in Gen 6. With Gen 10 about to mark the fourth generation in a row without a new Eeveelution, it seems like this popular creature has largely been put on the back burner. In its place, the Pokemon series has begun propping up Meowth as the new Gen 1 critter alongside Pikachu to get all the attention, and I’m willing to bet that it gets a new form in Gen 10.

Pokemon Pokopia, Winds and Waves Have Started a New Pikachu Trend, and I Absolutely Hate It

Pokemon Pokopia and Winds and Waves have a new Pikachu trend in common that I really dislike, as much as Pokopia’s Peakychu is adorable.

Meowth Has Become the New Eevee of the Pokemon Franchise

While Meowth may not have the large pool of potential evolutions that Eevee has, it’s received a lot of love in recent generations. Between new regional variants and generational gimmick forms, it’s hard to deny that Meowth has become a popular target for a Gen 1 Pokemon looking to get a refresh. In comparison, Eevee’s been largely ignored save for its appearance as the starter in Pokemon Let’s Go Eevee, but it’s coming up on four generations since Eevee has received any sort of new form.

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All Meowth Forms Added Since the Last New Eeveelution

Alolan Meowth — Regional Variant (Gen 7)
Galarian Meowth — Regional Variant (Gen 8)
Perrserker — Regional Evolution (Gen 8)
Gigantamax Meowth — G-Max Form (Gen 8)

Gen 7 and 8 have been heavy with new forms for Meowth, starting with Alolan Meowth in Pokemon Sun and Moon. This form of Meowth debuted alongside the concept of regional variants in the Pokemon series, changing Meowth from a Normal type to a Dark type, along with its evolution, Persian. The following generation went all-out on new Meowth forms, not only giving Meowth a Galarian regional form and new regional evolution in Perrserker, but also giving it a unique Gigantamax form to go along with Pokemon Sword and Shield‘s Dynamax battle gimmick.

Why Eevee is Unlikely to Get a New Form in Winds and Waves

Eevee, on the other hand, has had a fairly quiet existence in the recent Pokemon generations after being a shoo-in for new evolutions in the early gens. The last new Eeveelution to be added to the franchise was Sylveon in Gen 6 to coincide with the introduction of the Fairy type. Most Eeveelutions are added to showcase a new feature of that generation, such as Umbreon and Espeon showcasing both the new day/night cycle and friendship mechanics of Gen 2, and Leafeon and Glaceon showing off the new location-based evolution mechanic of Gen 4. Unless there is a new type added in Pokemon Winds and Waves, or a significant new way to evolve Pokemon, it’s unlikely Eeevee will get a new Gen 10 Eeveelution.

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I’ll Be Surprised if Meowth Doesn’t Get a New Form in Pokemon Winds and Waves

As much as I would love to see a new Eeveelution in Gen 10, I doubt Pokemon Winds and Waves will add a ninth evolution for Eevee. However, I feel like a new form for Meowth is very likely based on past series trends. Although Meowth hasn’t been confirmed for Pokemon Winds and Waves yet, it fills a specific role in the franchise that also happens to tie nicely into the lore of Gen 10’s Indonesia-inspired region.

The Most Likely New Gen 10 Form for Meowth is Another Regional Variant

Despite already having two regional variants, I think Meowth is likely to get a new one in Pokemon Winds and Waves based on Indonesian cat breeds. A common feature of cats in Indonesia is the lack of a tail or a crooked tail, due to the belief that these types of cats are better at catching pests. It also forms the basis of a perfect regional variant design for Meowth, since all variants of Meowth thus far have a distinct tail. I could see this new form of Meowth become a Fighting-type Pokemon with a crooked tail, almost like it’s a rough-and-tumble street cat that tends to pick fights.

Meowth Could also Receive a New “Majin” Form

The other most likely option for a new Meowth form in Pokemon Winds and Waves could come from the Gen 10 battle mechanic leaked to be called “Majin.” This new battle gimmick sounds like it will be in the vein of Mega Evolution or Dynamaxing of past generations, with Pokemon taking on new weather-related forms during battle. Official details on this Majin mechanic are currently scarce, so it’s unclear exactly how it will function and if it will be accessible by all Pokemon. However, if it comes with exclusive forms like those for Mega Evolution and Gigantamax critters, then I believe Meowth would be the ideal candidate to receive one.