A new leak suggests that one of the most popular mechanics from Pokemon Legends: Z-A and Pokemon Legends: Arceus will return in the upcoming tenth generation games, Pokemon Winds and Waves. Information uncovered from early build files points toward the traditional series adopting features that were previously exclusive to spin off titles.

Official details regarding Pokemon Winds and Waves remain limited following its reveal during Pokemon Day in February, where fans received their first look at the new region and starter Pokemon Browt, Pombon, and Gecqua. With the games rumored to launch in late 2027, recent leaks offer eager fans a glimpse into how the core gameplay systems might evolve.

Gameplay footage shared by leak aggregators shows a trainer accessing their bag to throw a Poke Ball directly at wild Pokemon outside of battle. Since the launch of the original games, catching Pokemon in the mainline series has almost always required players to enter a combat sequence first. Bringing real time overworld catching to Gen 10 represents a major step away from long standing series tradition.Beyond real time catching, additional leaks suggest that Pokemon Winds and Waves will incorporate several other modern mechanics. The leaked features include weather dependent Pokemon forms, expanded online social systems, and an updated combat system that blends free roaming positioning with multi target attacks.

By combining traditional open world story progression with mechanics developed for the Legends series, Pokemon Winds and Waves appears to be positioning itself as a major evolution for the core franchise.