Pokémon Winds & Waves Led By Sword & Shield DLC Director, It’s Claimed

Pokémon could be entering a new era with Generation 10, as a new director is reportedly taking over development of Pokémon Winds & Waves alongside a co-director.

According to a new claim, Hiroyuki Tani and Katsuhiko Ichiraku will serve as director and co-director respectively, potentially bringing an end to Shigeru Ohmori’s decade-long run overseeing new generations of Pokémon. However, it appears Ohmori may not be leaving the franchise entirely.

A New Future For Pokémon Could Be On The Way

The news comes from leaker BallGuy on X, who claims Hiroyuki Tani and Katsuhiko Ichiraku are taking over as director and co-director for Pokémon Winds & Waves.

The two names may be familiar to Pokémon fans. Tani previously directed the Sword & Shield DLC, while Ichiraku was responsible for the Scarlet & Violet DLC. Both expansions were generally well received, giving fans reason to be optimistic about what the pair could bring to Generation 10.

The reported change comes after 10 years with Shigeru Ohmori at the helm of Pokémon’s mainline generations. During that time, he directed several major releases, including:

• Pokémon Alpha Sapphire & Omega Ruby
• Pokémon Sun & Moon
• Pokémon Sword & Shield
• Pokémon Scarlet & Violet
• Pokémon Legends: Z-A

However, BallGuy claims Ohmori isn’t stepping away from Pokémon entirely, and is instead supposedly working on Generation 11. His exact role remains unclear, particularly given that he has since served as a producer on Pokémon Pokopia and Beast of Reincarnation.

Naturally, it remains to be seen how much of an impact Tani and Ichiraku will have on Pokémon Winds & Waves. Still, following years of criticism surrounding the franchise, some fans will undoubtedly welcome the prospect of a fresh creative direction for Generation 10.

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