Pokémon Winds and Waves leak names new director, appeasing Scarlet and Violet critics

The latest Pokémon Winds and Waves leak suggests a change of leadership for the franchise. Over the past 10 years, Shigeru Ohmori has directed many of the mainline Pokémon games, including Scarlet and Violet. However, BallGuy claims that Hiroyuki Tani will take over for the Switch 2 Gen 10 title, with Katsuhiko Ichiraku serving as co-director.

Game Freak resumes

Ohmori’s first Pokémon game as director was Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire for the 3DS in 2014. He was also a producer and map designer on multiple other Game Freak projects. Meanwhile, potential successor Tani assumed planning roles before directing the Sword & Shield expansion packs.

Both Tani and Ichiraku worked on Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, with Ichiraku co-directing the expansion. Many players found The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero more enjoyable than the base game Ohmori led. Designed on a smaller scale, its environments seemed more alive with activity. A focused storyline addressed another criticism.

Ahead of the Pokémon Winds and Waves release date in 2027, its developers may face unique challenges. Previous leaks hint at a large, waterlogged open world where trainers travel between tropical islands. Underwater exploration could be a vital part of the experience, along with a new catching mechanic.

Performance concerns

The Gen 10 effort should benefit from enhanced console specs. Even so, fans hope that the next Switch 2 game ships in an optimized state. Performance issues and frame rate drops often spoiled the fun in Scarlet and Violet.

Pokémon Legends: Z-A was a positive sign, lacking as many technical issues on both Switch generations. Still, Ohmori acted as a producer rather than director. Its urban maps also aren’t as sprawling as the settings in the Gen 9 title or, most likely, in Pokémon Winds and Waves as well.

Nintendo shared a generally well-received trailer and initial screenshots for Winds and Waves. If Tani and Ichiraku are in charge, only in-depth showcases will signal whether the leadership shakeup was beneficial.