Reception to the initial reveal for Pokemon Winds and Waves has been largely positive. After years of disappointment in Scarlet and Violet's frankly very rough visuals—mended somewhat with the relative improvement seen in Pokemon Legends: Z-A—it seems like the future of Pokemon's mixed-results 3D era is finally looking brighter.
Not only that, but the tidbits of gameplay we've seen also seem pretty great. Diving! Heck yes! Island-hopping! Whew! This open world looks more interactive, more old-school in its diverse approaches, than anything we've seen since Sword and Shield slowly began the tilt to this less structured approach.
But with all the hype over the big graphics update for the Switch 2 exclusives due for release next year, many have wondered which real-world location this as-yet-unnamed region takes its inspiration from. Thanks to a mix of eagle-eyed fans, Southeast Asian residents, and even last year's deluge of leaks, we have a cool answer.
As Twitter user SevyPlays notes above, the parallels to the Philippines at several points in Winds and Waves' trailer are unmistakable. The bit I love the most is that over-water collection of buildings... it reminds me so much of...
