A leaked map for Pokémon Winds and Waves reveals a 17-island archipelago heavily inspired by Indonesia and Southeast Asia. The region could be eight times larger than Paldea, making it the biggest open world in Pokémon history.
Pokémon Winds and Waves is shaping up to have the largest region in franchise history. A leaked map shared by CentroLeaks on X on April 24, 2026, reveals a sprawling archipelago made up of 17 distinct islands, multiple ocean zones, and underwater exploration areas. The leaked region is reportedly based on a July 2024 development build from the Game Freak data breach known as the Teraleak, and the geography draws heavily from Indonesia and broader Southeast Asia. According to Vice, the new region could be roughly eight times the size of Paldea from Pokémon Scarlet and Violet.
What Does the Leaked Map Actually Show?
The map depicts 17 main islands plus one uninhabited island, each featuring different biomes, landmarks, and gameplay-relevant locations. Environments range from volcanoes and snow-capped mountains to deserts, mangrove forests, rice fields, tropical jungles, and coral reefs. Beyond the islands themselves, the leak also details 8 separate ocean areas and 10 deep-sea zones, strongly suggesting the return of underwater exploration in full 3D, reminiscent of the “Dive” mechanic from Ruby and Sapphire.
Two legendary temples are marked on the map, one for the Wind legendary and one for the Wave legendary. According to earlier leaks, these temples are situated on islands surrounded by dangerous storms and waves respectively, making them difficult to access until later in the game.
Why Are Players Comparing It to Indonesia?
The shape of the leaked map is strikingly similar to the Indonesian archipelago. As Game Rant’s analysis noted, recognizable real-world landmarks include analogues of Sumatra, Java, Kalimantan, Borneo, Sulawesi, New Guinea, Southern Thailand, and possibly part of northern Australia. One fan on social media commented: “That map is for real? I thought it was fake because it’s blatantly shaped like Indonesia.”
The Southeast Asian inspiration goes beyond geography. Gosugamers reported that the official announcement trailer, shown during Pokémon Presents on February 27, 2026, featured houses on stilts resembling those found in the Philippines and Indonesia, mangrove forests (Southeast Asia holds around 35% of the world’s mangroves), and rice terraces that many viewers compared to the Banaue Rice Terraces in the Philippines. IGN confirmed the region draws from the Philippines, Indonesia, and Malaysia.
Game Rant also highlighted Sulawesi’s inclusion as potentially significant. The real-world island is famous for extreme endemism, where species have evolved in isolation and exist nowhere else on Earth. If Game Freak mirrors this with region-exclusive Pokémon forms, the design choice could have meaningful gameplay implications.
How Are the Gyms Distributed Across the Islands?
The leak identifies 8 Gym types spread across different islands, reinforcing the idea that players will island-hop in a relatively open order rather than following a single linear path. Here is the confirmed Gym breakdown from the leaked data:
| Island | Gym Type | Notable Features |
|---|---|---|
| Island 1 | Grass | Starting hotel, player room, mangrove forest, rice fields, Mount Symbol |
| Island 2 | Poison | Poison swamp area |
| Island 6 | Flying | Sandy and rocky terrain |
| Island 7 | Fighting | Goro Rock Island |
| Island 8 | Dark | Capital city, group HQ, TM shop, pharmacy, Ivy Jungle |
| Island 9 | Normal | Jungle area |
| Island 11 | Steel | Pokémon League, Champion Trial, Glacier Lake, blizzard area |
| Island 14 | Fairy | Fairy Island cave |
Island 1 serves as the starting point. According to leaked story details, the player character arrives at the region on a vacation won by their mother, which explains the hotel hub. Island 8, the capital city, is the most densely packed location with the Pokémon Center headquarters, a tour company headquarters, boutique, hair salon, and the villainous team’s base of operations alongside the Dark-type Gym.
Island 11 is particularly interesting because it houses both the Steel Gym (likely encountered mid-game) and the Pokémon League with a Champion Trial, meaning players will likely return to this island for the endgame challenge.
What Are the Majin Research Labs?
Multiple “Majin Research Labs” are scattered across the map, each associated with a specific Pokémon type. Ice-type on Island 5, Ground-type on Island 8, Rock-type on Island 12, and Psychic-type in Ocean 1 have all been identified. The term “Majin” is widely speculated to be connected to Winds and Waves’ new generation mechanic, which some leakers suggest will be weather-based. Exactly how this system works has not been officially confirmed.
The Rotom Scooter, confirmed in the official trailer, ties directly into the map’s structure. This transformable vehicle attaches to a player’s Pokémon and adapts based on movesets, allowing travel across water, underwater, and potentially through the air. Given the scale of the archipelago, this mobility tool appears essential for navigation.
How Big Is This Region Compared to Previous Games?
According to concept comparisons shared by Light_88 on X and reported by Vice, the entire Paldea region from Scarlet and Violet could fit inside the centre of the new map. If the scale holds in the final game, each major island would be roughly the size of an entire previous-generation map. Combined with 8 ocean zones and 10 deep-sea areas, the explorable space dwarfs anything Pokémon has attempted before.
The water-heavy design inevitably draws comparisons to Hoenn and Alola, both known for their ocean-centric maps. However, the sheer island diversity, vertical terrain (mountains, volcanoes, glaciers), and underwater layers put Winds and Waves in a category of its own. GamingBible described it as making “Paldea look small,” with 18 islands (including the uninhabited one) encircling a central hub.
Is Underwater Exploration Confirmed?
Yes. The official Pokémon Presents trailer confirmed an underwater map, and the leaked data includes 10 deep-sea zones. GamesHub reported that leaked screenshots depict coral reefs and vibrant underwater biomes, hinting at a full 3D dive mechanic. This marks the first time since Generation 3 that underwater exploration appears to be a major gameplay pillar rather than a limited feature.
What Players Are Asking
Is Pokémon Winds and Waves fully open world?
Full open-world confirmation has not been given officially, but every signal points in that direction. The leak describes a structure closer to “Open World + MMO” than traditional linear routes. The trailer shows free exploration across diverse environments, and the Rotom Scooter system supports seamless travel. Vice confirmed that previous leaks suggested an exploration-driven gameplay model across islands and open environments.
Which real countries are represented in the map?
Based on community analysis and leaker interpretation, the map incorporates analogues of Indonesia (Sumatra, Java, Kalimantan, Sulawesi), Malaysia (Malay Peninsula, Borneo), Papua New Guinea, Thailand, Singapore, Brunei, and possibly a portion of northern Australia. The Philippines has also been identified as a strong architectural and cultural influence in the trailer.
When does Pokémon Winds and Waves release?
The games are confirmed for a 2027 release exclusively on Nintendo Switch 2, with a simultaneous worldwide launch. No specific date has been announced. Based on previous franchise patterns, RadioTimes and other outlets predict an October or November 2027 window.
Could the leaked map change before release?
Absolutely. The data comes from approximately a July 2024 build, meaning some island names, landmarks, and layout details may shift during the remaining development time. However, the core geographic structure and Southeast Asian inspiration have already been confirmed by the official trailer, so the fundamental shape of the region is likely final.
What are the starter Pokémon?
The three starters revealed during the Pokémon Day 2026 presentation are Browt (Grass-type), Pombon (Fire-type), and Gecqua (Water-type). Two special Pikachu variants, Windychu and Wavychu, also appear to be version-exclusive forms tied to each game.
Pokémon Winds and Waves is positioning itself as the most ambitious entry in the franchise’s 30-year history. With 17 explorable islands, deep-sea diving, a real-world-inspired archipelago, and the power of Nintendo Switch 2 behind it, Generation 10 is set to redefine what a Pokémon region can be. More details are expected to trickle out throughout 2026 and into early 2027 as the release window approaches.
