Pokemon Turns 30 With a Big Announcement
Gen 10, Xbox's new CEO, and the most important capybara game of 2026.
G’day Gamers,
Sorry about the delay on this one. Between the Xbox news landing mid-week and Pokémon Day happening on Friday, I wanted to wait and cover both properly rather than rush something out.
Lets Get Into it,
Pokemon Day 2026: Gen 10 Announced
Pokemon turned 30 this week, and The Pokemon Company marked the occasion with their annual Pokemon Presents showcase.
Generation 10 is officially confirmed. Pokemon Winds and Pokemon Waves are coming, developed by Game Freak and exclusive to Nintendo Switch 2. The games are targeting a 2027 release, which makes it the longest gap between mainline generations in the franchise’s history.
Three new starters were revealed. Browt is a grass-type bird that looks like it came straight out of Angry Birds. Pombon is a fire-type pomeranian. Gecqua is a sassy-looking water-type lizard.
The region looks ocean and island-focused, which tracks with the Wind and Waves naming.
The Switch 2 exclusivity is worth noting. No old hardware holding back the game this time, which was a real problem with Scarlet and Violet running on Switch 1. Whatever Winds and Waves ends up being, performance complaints should not be part of the conversation.
Outside of Gen 10, the rest of the show covered a lot of ground quickly:
FireRed and LeafGreen are now on the Switch eShop, available on both Switch and Switch 2, with Pokémon Home support coming later (one-way transfers only)
Pokémon Champions, the new competitive battling client, launches on Switch in April with a mobile version to follow
Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness is coming to Nintendo Switch Online’s GameCube library in March, which is great news for anyone who has been watching physical copies sell for absurd prices
Pokopia gets its full launch on March 5, with DJ Rotom and a cooking Greedent called Chef Dente confirmed, along with three-player co-op
Updates were shown for Go, Unite, Sleep, Masters EX, and TCG Pocket
A classic TCG reprint set is coming later this year
A Game Boy shaped music player for the original Red and Blue soundtrack was announced, which is exactly the kind of thing that will sell out immediately
Xbox Leadership Shakeup
Phil Spencer has retired from Microsoft after 38 years with the company, ending his run as CEO of Microsoft Gaming. Xbox president Sarah Bond has also left the company at the same time. Asha Sharma, previously head of Microsoft’s CoreAI division, has stepped in as the new Microsoft Gaming CEO. Matt Booty, who ran Xbox Game Studios, has been promoted to Chief Content Officer.
Spencer took over Xbox in 2014 after the disastrous launch of Xbox One under Don Mattrick. During his tenure, he oversaw the launch of Game Pass, the $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard, and the gradual shift toward putting Xbox first-party titles on PlayStation. He will remain at Microsoft in an advisory capacity through the summer to help with the transition.
The circumstances around the exits were messy. Microsoft had planned to announce the changes on February 23, but a leak from IGN forced the company to move faster, meaning many Xbox employees found out through the press before any internal memo arrived.
Sharma comes from an AI and tech background rather than gaming, and her appointment has raised questions internally and externally about Microsoft’s priorities for the division. She has publicly committed to keeping Xbox consoles a priority and to focusing on quality games. Bond confirmed before leaving that the next Xbox console is already in development, with a 2027 release window expected.
Gaming revenue at Microsoft fell around 10% in the most recent quarter, and Xbox hardware has consistently trailed PlayStation and Nintendo in sales this generation.
Here’s hoping with some highly anticipated releases coming in 2026 that Team Green can turn it around.
In Case You Missed It..
Hogwarts Legacy 2 Won’t Arrive Before 2027 - Warner Bros executives confirm the sequel is targeting 2027 at the earliest, timed to ride the wave of the upcoming Harry Potter HBO Max series.
Marvel’s Wolverine Locks In September 15 Release Date - Insomniac confirmed the PS5 exclusive lands September 15, 2026, just two months before GTA 6, with Australian actor Liam McIntyre voicing Logan.
Capybara Simulator Is the Most Important Game of the Year - Dynamic Games’ upcoming title lets you play as the world’s most chill rodent, walk, eat some grass, and sit in a hot spring with an orange on your head.
Marathon Server Slam Is Live Right Now - Bungie’s open preview runs until March 2, free on PS5, Xbox, and Steam with no purchase required, ahead of the full launch on March 5.
Call of Duty Modern Warfare 4 Details Leak - Reliable leaker TheGhostOfHope claims MW4 is next-gen only, ditches Warzone, and features a Korea-set campaign with an overhauled engine closer to the original trilogy.
The BioShock Movie and BioShock 4 May Drop Together - Producer Roy Lee confirmed Netflix and Take-Two are coordinating the film’s release with new incarnations of the game, with production targeting 2027.
Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen Hit Switch - The GBA classics launched on the Switch eShop on February 27, with different regional versions sold separately to replicate the original releases.
Backyard Baseball Is Back. Pablo Sanchez Is Back. - The first entry in nearly fifteen years launches July 9, 2026 on PC, Mac, and consoles, with the full original roster confirmed and developed by Mega Cat Studios.
Releasing This Week (Feb 28 to Mar 6, AEST)
Tales of Berseria Remastered (PS5, Xbox, Switch, PC) – Feb 27 Fan favourite JRPG gets a full remaster with updated visuals and quality of life improvements.
Resident Evil Requiem (PS5, Xbox, PC) – Feb 27 Capcom takes the franchise back to Raccoon City with new protagonist Grace Ashcroft and Leon Kennedy returning alongside her.
World of Warcraft: Midnight (PC) – Mar 2 The 11th WoW expansion returns to Quel’Thalas and kicks off a new story arc for the game.
Legacy of Kain: Defiance Remastered (PS5, Xbox, PC) – Mar 3 The final chapter of the Soul Reaver series gets the remaster treatment, with an upgraded map of Nosgoth as a bonus.
Scott Pilgrim EX (PS5, Xbox, Switch, PC) – Mar 3 Scott and Ramona return in a brand new beat-em-up adventure through the streets of Toronto and beyond.
Marathon (PS5, Xbox, PC) – Mar 5 Bungie’s extraction shooter finally arrives. Server slam live now for a free preview.
Pokémon Pokopia (Switch, Switch 2) – Mar 5 The new Pokemon life sim launches with DJ Rotom, Chef Dente, and three-player co-op.
Planet of Lana II: Children of the Leaf (PS5, Xbox, Switch, PC) – Mar 5 A side-scrolling adventure continues with a new dual-character mechanic.
Sumerian Six (PS5, Xbox) – Mar 6 A Tactical stealth game set in a dieselpunk WW2 world, featuring a squad of occult scientists.
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And before you go, the important question: which Gen 10 starter are you picking? Hit reply and let me know. I think we all know the answer is Pombon.
Till Next Time,
Jayden