A leak suggests Game Freak is reshaping the leadership for the next mainline Pokemon title, shifting direction away from the team that handled the recent Switch games. This change matters to players who have criticized the performance of recent entries, as the new director is expected to address those technical concerns. The upcoming game, titled Pokemon Winds and Waves, will mark the first mainline entry on the Switch 2.
Hiroyuki Tani replaces Shigeru Ohmori as the mainline series director
According to a report from a leaker known as BallGuy, Hiroyuki Tani will take over as the primary director for the Switch 2 Gen 10 title. Katsuhiko Ichiraku is reportedly serving as the co-director for the project. This marks a significant departure from the previous decade, during which Shigeru Ohmori directed the mainline Pokemon games, including Scarlet and Violet.
The leak points to a new open-world design for the game, featuring underwater exploration and tropical island settings. Leaked information indicates a shift toward larger, more open environments than those found in earlier titles. Unconfirmed reports place the release in 2027, which would allow the new team time to develop the game's open-world features.
Fans have been vocal about performance issues in recent Pokemon titles, and the leadership change appears aimed at resolving those criticisms. This creative change aligns with the upcoming Switch 2 console, which provides greater technical capabilities than its predecessor. We have been tracking Pokemon Winds and Waves closely — see our earlier coverage on Nintendo Switch 2 Game Pokémon Winds.
The information regarding the new director and the game's setting remains unconfirmed by Nintendo or Game Freak. The leak relies on anonymous sources and has not been officially validated by the publishers. Players will need to wait for official announcements to verify the directorial changes and release details.
Source: NotebookCheck
