Since 2014, one man in particular \u2014 Shigeru Ohmori \u2014 has overseen the majority of Pok\u00e9mon games released by Game Freak. From Pok\u00e9mon Omega Ruby<\/em> and Sapphire <\/em>all the way to Pok\u00e9mon Pokopia<\/em>, Ohmori has had a major influence on modern Pok\u00e9mon as we know it. According to leaks, that multi-generational pocket monster run may finally be coming to an end.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n According to Pok\u00e9mon Winds and Waves <\/em>leaker BallGuy, the 10th generation of games will be directed by Game Freak veterans Hiroyuki Tani and Katsuhiko Ichiraku. Both men have been a part of major Pok\u00e9mon games in some capacity, but this would be their first time leading a base game. The two are otherwise best known for their work on the DLCs for Pok\u00e9mon Sword <\/em>and Shield <\/em>and Pok\u00e9mon Scarlet<\/em> and Violet<\/em>. Both content additions were well received by the public, and some even considered them superior versions of their respective games.<\/p>\n For some, this is reason enough to get excited. The Crown Tundra DLC for Pok\u00e9mon Sword<\/em> and Shield<\/em> was known for its wider scope and focus on exploration, which will be critical in a game that emphasizes adventures in the wild. Pok\u00e9mon Scarlet <\/em>and Violet’<\/em>s Teal Mask DLC was praised in 2023 for its slice-of-life storytelling, which helped ground the grand scope of what are technically <\/em>the first open-world Pok\u00e9mon games. This is a distinction if only because Scarlet <\/em>and Violet <\/em>were notoriously buggy at launch. The public wasn’t able to experience these games in their intended form until 2025, when the Switch 2 received some free performance upgrades for the games.<\/p>\n Leaked information that reveals who is actually developing the next Pok\u00e9mon game may sound silly, but Game Freak hasn’t officially announced any directors for the projects yet. It’s also possible that Ohmori will still be involved in Winds <\/em>and Waves <\/em>in some capacity. If internal documents leaked in 2025 are to be believed, then Ohmori worked on the proposal for the game.<\/p>\n The presentation cited influences such as No Man’s Sky<\/em> and Spore.<\/em> The deck points toward Spore<\/em>‘s dynamic evolution system, which may form the basis of Winds<\/em> and Waves’<\/em> rumored “Seed” Pok\u00e9mon. Seed Pok\u00e9mon are expected to introduce a type of monster that does not have a set evolutionary tree. Instead, factors like the environment, weather, and the trainer’s nurturing dictate how Seed Pok\u00e9mon may grow. Seed Pok\u00e9mon may also explain why Winds<\/em> and Waves<\/em> are rumored to introduce 300 new monsters, the most in the series’ 30-year history.<\/p>\n Since game development is a process, we don’t yet know which of Ohmori’s ideas will make it into the final cut. The same document leaks claim that Ohmori was no longer a director on the next Pok\u00e9mon games as of 2024.<\/p>\n One of the potential benefits of an internal shake-up is seeing younger developers push the series in new directions. Mainline Pok\u00e9mon games are often criticized by fans and haters alike for their aversion to risks. At the same time, Game Freak seems interested in exploring what else the series can do. Games like Pok\u00e9mon Legends: Z-A <\/em>and their action-oriented gameplay are a huge departure from the mainline games in the series.<\/p>\n If the latest leaks are true, then we may see a continuation of that boundary-pushing spirit in Pok\u00e9mon Winds <\/em>and Waves<\/em>. Already, there are whispers of a new battle system that may shake things up. Hopefully, that’s one of many changes \u2014 the series desperately needs some new ideas.<\/p>\n![\"Slowbro](\"https:\/\/static0.polygonimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/chorus\/uploads\/chorus_asset\/file\/20039655\/bro.jpg?q=49&fit=crop&w=825&dpr=2\")
\n <\/picture>Image: The Pok\u00e9mon Company\/Game Freak<\/small><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n