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7 Pokémon Gen 10 Leaks Most Likely To Be Real Pokémon's Ash is Surprised

Custom image created by Evan D. Mullicane

By Austin King Published Feb 22, 2026, 8:00 PM EST Austin King is the Senior Editor of Gaming at ScreenRant and has been with the site since 2020 with a focus on RPGs and tabletop games. He previously managed content for Geek to Geek Media, and has served as a writer for sites like Nintendad, Geek Fitness, and more. In addition to his work at ScreenRant, he also hosts the Dragon Quest FM podcast and is the author of several books, including co-writing Nimbus (a #1 bestseller in 2013). His latest is the nonfiction The Dragon Quest Book, available now. He's written about pop culture, video games, and genre studies over the course of his career. You can find him on BlueSky, X, and at Dragonquestaustin.com Sign in to your ScreenRant account Add Us On Summary Generate a summary of this story follow Follow followed Followed Like Like Thread Log in Here is a fact-based summary of the story contents: Try something different: Show me the facts Explain it like I’m 5 Give me a lighthearted recap

Pokémon fans are hyped for Gen 10 games, but right now, we actually know very little about them. Most of what's "known" about the games come down to rumors, leaks (some more reliable than others), and good old-fashioned speculation. There's also quite a bit of educated guesswork going on.

Still, at least a few of the leaks out there seem like they have a chance of being proven accurate once Pokémon reveals its Gen 10 games, which will presumably happen on Pokémon Day 2026. Until then, no one really knows what Gen 10 is doing. That being said, here are the leaks that seem most likely to be legit.

7 Pokémon Gen 10 Will Release In November 2026

Various smiling Pokemon gathered around a central Scorbunny.

Of all the leaks out there, this one has caused some of the most contention. It still feels unlikely Gen 10 will release this year, which is why this leak is mentioned here at the top. However, given Pokémon's past history, a November 2026 release date makes a lot of sense, which is why it's included in this list.

Most mainline Pokémon games have come out in November, and there's never been a mainline game that's had more than 4 years pass between releases. Most have been released three years apart, but Gen 4 and Gen 5 both had four years. A November 2026 release for Gen 10 would also put it at four years since Gen 9's Scarlet and Violet launched, so at the very least, this leak has some history to back it up.

6 Gen 10 Will Be A Switch 2 Exclusive

Ash from Pokémon looking shocked with a Nintendo Switch.Custom Image by Katarina Cimbaljevic.

Multiple leaks have suggested the Gen 10 games will be exclusive to the Switch 2. Considering the Switch 2 is Nintendo's newest system, and past Pokémon games haven't had multi-platform releases, that makes sense.

But we're in a bit of unprecedented territory here, considering both the Switch 1 and 2 should be capable of running the games, and Nintendo has still had dual releases of many of its first- and third-party titles as the Switch 1 continues to be phased out.

Pokémon Legends: Z-A released on both Switch 1 and Switch 2, but Pokémon Pokopia is only on Switch 2. Honestly, this one could go either way, but considering most first-party games are starting to come out only on the Switch 2, it seems likely Gen 10 will only be on that console. This is especially true if the games aren't released for another year or two.

5 Wind & Waves Are The Titles Of The Gen 10 Games

Koraidon and Miraidon roaring close to each other on the beach.

The initial leak suggesting Gen 10 would be known as Pokémon Wind and Pokémon Waves was interesting, but plenty of other leaks have claimed to know the name of new Pokémon games in the past. Since then, though, other leaks have suggested the same titles, and it's gotten to a point that most fans are just assuming this is indeed what the Gen 10 games will be called.

At this point, it'll be strange if the Gen 10 games are announced on Pokémon Day and aren't called Wind and Waves, but it could happen. Given how many leaks and rumors seem to corroborate these titles, though, it seems pretty safe to bet that the Gen 10 games will be called this. We'll find out soon enough.

4 A Reptile Starter For Gen 10

Cyndaquil and Treecko from Pokémon next to each other.

Starter leaks for Pokémon Gen 10 have been all over the place. One almost-constant, however, is that we'll be getting a reptilian Starter. Yes, some of this is probably just guesswork, but it's GOOD guesswork. It wouldn't be the first time a reptile has been a Starter, from Gen 1's Squirtle to Gen 9's Fuecoco, we've had plenty of reptiles as our loyal companions.

The leaks seem to disagree on what kind of reptile we're getting, though. Quite a few suggest a lizard, a couple have claimed a new turtle is on the way, and at least one alleged leak says it's a frog (which is technically an amphibian, but it's close enough). Considering how often Pokémon has included a reptile in its Starters, the odds are good that one will be a part of the Gen 10 games as well.

3 Underwater Exploration Will Be A Part Of Both Games

Pokemon: Lugia dives underwater in the movie.

Around the same time the titles for Gen 10 were leaked as Wind and Waves, gameplay details began to surface. A common mechanic that's managed to persist for years is that these new games will have underwater exploration as a mechanic. This would be a logical next step for the series, especially now that Scarlet and Violet were open-world RPGs.

We've seen great glimpses of Pokémon's underwater worlds thanks to games like New Pokémon Snap, but we've never had free rein to explore a region beneath the waves. It's an interesting, and honestly cool, idea that's hopefully true. Like the other leaks, this one has been around so long, it seems increasingly likely.

2 Starters Will Follow The Same Water, Fire, & Grass Typing

Pokemon's Charmander, Bulbasaur, and Squirtle smile next to each other.Custom Image by Bruno Yonezawa

This one may feel obvious, but not so long ago, there were plenty of rumors saying the Gen 10 games would break away from tradition and have different Typings than those of the usual Grass, Fire, and Water. Since then, most leaks surrounding the new Starter Pokémon have stuck with the usual types.

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While some of these leaks seem more dubious than others, and honestly none of them seem 100% accurate, it seems unlikely the Pokémon Gen 10 games will break away from these types for its Starters. A trio of Starters representing Grass, Fire, and Water respectively, have been such a long-standing part of the series, it'd be odd to deviate now. If nothing else, we can bet on the new Starters sticking with those types.

1 A Region Full Of Islands

A Trainer rides their flying Koraidon in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet.

If there's one leak that's accurate regarding Pokémon Gen 10, it'll probably be this one. While numerous accounts have made various claims, pretty much all of them have mentioned a series of islands to explore. A few have suggested Gen 10's world map is massive, with procedurally-generated islands, while others suggest there are only a few islands to explore.

Either way, every leaker out there seems to agree Gen 10's region will be a series of islands, larger than anything we've seen in Hoenn or Alola. It's a pretty interesting prospect, and it would set Gen 10 apart from Gen 9's open world.

We hopefully won't have to wait much longer to see which of these leaks are accurate. The Gen 10 games are expected to debut during the Pokémon Day stream on February 27, so we only have a few more days to go. If you're a Pokémon fan, you'll definitely want to mark your calendar for that day.

Pokemon Created by Satoshi Taijiri, Ken Sugimori, Junichi Masuda First Film Pokemon: The First Movie Latest Film Pokémon the Movie: Secrets of the Jungle First TV Show Pokémon First Episode Air Date April 1, 1997 Current Series Pokémon

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