"Pokémon" has stuck with turn-based battles for close to three decades, but comments from a Game Freak veteran suggest that streak might not last much longer.
With "Pokémon Winds and Waves" still in active development, fresh reporting has reignited debate over whether the mainline series is finally ready to abandon its most defining feature.
'Pokémon Winds and Waves' Combat System Is Changing?
"Pokémon Champions" director Kazumasa Iwao addressed the future of the franchise's combat system in a new video from Game Freak, suggesting that mainline games could gradually move away from turn-based battles going forward.
Iwao explained that since "Champions" now exists as a dedicated home for fans who prefer the traditional battle format, that gives Game Freak more freedom to experiment with different combat styles in mainline entries like "Winds and Waves."
He was careful to note that this shift might not happen immediately with "Winds and Waves" specifically, but that Game Freak's broader interest in trying new systems is worth watching closely as Generation 10 approaches.
It remains unclear whether any changes hinted at by Iwao would apply to "Winds and Waves" directly or arrive further down the line in a later generation.
Current Combat System in 'Pokémon' Games
According to GameRant, the franchise's most recent mainline entry, "Pokémon Scarlet and Violet," kept the series' long-standing turn-based format intact, even while introducing auto battle options for Pokémon encountered out in the open world.
That stood in contrast to "Pokémon Legends: Z-A," a spinoff rather than a mainline title, which fully embraced real-time combat built around positioning and timing rather than the traditional command-based system.
Then came "Pokémon Champions," the dedicated battle-focused arena fighter, which returned to turn-based combat once again. That back-and-forth between formats across recent releases has left fans divided over which direction the series should ultimately settle into.
It is important to note that "Pokémon Legends: Arceus" also broke from tradition earlier by introducing dynamic battles that did not transition into a separate instanced screen the way traditional encounters always have.
Will It be Different from 'Legends: Z-A?'
Multiple leaks tied to the ongoing Teraleak have pointed toward "Winds and Waves" landing somewhere between the two extremes rather than fully copying "Legends: Z-A's" real-time approach.
According to leaker Centro Leaks, the games are expected to remain turn-based at their core. However, a major twist will allow any number of opposing Pokémon to join or exit a battle at any time, a far more open structure than the traditional single or double battle format fans are used to.
Separate leaks have also suggested area-of-effect attacks tied to the game's central gimmick, along with earlier rumors of a possible toggle letting players freely switch between turn-based and real-time combat. This could make it similar to "Final Fantasy VII" Remake's Classic Mode.
None of these specific details have been officially confirmed by Game Freak or The Pokémon Company. "Pokémon Winds and Waves" is still in development, and whatever direction the combat system ultimately takes could still shift well before the games actually release in 2027.
