The region of Pokémon Winds and Waves is an archipelago: islands swept by the wind and cradled by the waves, brought together in a vast open world. Its name and map have not been revealed yet.
What Game Freak says
Three ideas stand out from this description: an archipelago rather than a continent, natural environments that vary from island to island, and a nature that stands in your way, with wind and sea as elements to face.
The open world, third step
After the large open areas of Pokémon Legends: Arceus and the open world of Scarlet and Violet, then the city of Lumiose in Pokémon Legends: Z-A, Winds and Waves takes the open world to the scale of an archipelago. It remains to be seen how the player will travel from one island to another: by surfing, sailing, flying? None of these options has been shown.
What the confirmed Pokémon reveal
The 45 already-known Pokémon confirmed in the game paint the landscape: beaches and sea floors (Krabby, Corsola, Wailmer, Finneon, Mareanie, Sandygast), tropical vegetation (Oddish, Tangela, Tropius, Carnivine), volcanoes (Slugma, Magcargo) and forests full of insects (Ledyba, Sizzlipede, Nymble).
Where does the region’s inspiration come from?
Each region in the series is inspired by a real place. Game Freak has not yet said which one for Winds and Waves.
| Region | Games | Inspiration |
|---|---|---|
| Kanto | Red and Blue | The Kantō region, Japan |
| Johto | Gold and Silver | The Kansai region and part of Chūbu, Japan |
| Hoenn | Ruby and Sapphire | The island of Kyūshū, Japan |
| Sinnoh | Diamond and Pearl | The island of Hokkaidō, Japan |
| Unova | Black and White | New York and its surroundings |
| Kalos | X and Y | France |
| Alola | Sun and Moon | Hawaii |
| Galar | Sword and Shield | The United Kingdom |
| Paldea | Scarlet and Violet | The Iberian Peninsula |
| To be revealed | Winds and Waves | Not announced yet |
How many islands?
No official figure. The numbers going around, from around thirty to a hundred islands, come from contradictory rumors. See rumors and leaks.
What is the name of the Pokémon Winds and Waves region?
Its name has not been revealed yet. All we know is that it is an open-world archipelago of islands.
Is Pokémon Winds and Waves open world?
Yes. The Pokémon Company describes a vast open world made of islands swept by the winds and cradled by the waves.
Which country is the Winds and Waves region inspired by?
It has not been announced. Its tropical setting is reminiscent of Southeast Asia, but that is a guess.
