Pokémon Winds and Waves could have the first new Eevee in over a decade

The only monster who could ever threaten Pikachu's throne is Eevee, so it's astonishing that every mainline Pokémon game hasn't pumped out a new Eeveelution. The last time Pokémon fans were graced with a new Eevee was all the way back in 2013, when the series introduced the Fairy-type. With Pokémon Winds and Waves, Game Freak has the opportunity to expand into new territory and give us the first new Eevee in decades.

Introduced in the original Pokémon Red and Blue, Eevee holds the distinction of being the only monster with eight different elemental variants. Each consequent Eevee type has corresponded with a major series mechanic. In that first game, Vaporeon (water), Jolteon (electric), and Flareon (fire) all required an evolution stone to obtain. In the second generation, when Pokémon introduced a time cycle, we got Espeon (psychic) and Umbreon (dark) variants. Both would only occur if the player reached a high friendship with Eevee during the daytime or nighttime — or with specific evolution stones.

When Leafeon (grass) and Glaceon (ice) joined the franchise, Pokémon was experimenting with location-based evolutions. And finally, we arrive at Sylveon, the fairy-type Eeveelution that capped off Eevee's elemental saga with Pokémon X & Y. We've had three generations of Pokémon games since then, spanning multiple consoles. Game Freak has debuted new Eevee forms post-Sylveon, like when Pokémon Sword and Shield brought us the memorable Gigantamax Eevee. So why not more?

Assuming that new Eevelutions retain only a single element, there are still nine different types we could see in the future. These include Fighting, Poison, Ground, Flying, Bug, Rock, Ghost, Dragon, and Steel. Thematically, with a game called Pokémon Winds and Waves, there couldn't be a better time for Game Freak to try a Flying-type Eevee. But historically, new Pokémon Eeveelutions have come in pairs — one for each version type. We've already got a Water-type Eevee, which complicates matters. But if leaks are to be believed, there's still a real possibility that Pokémon Winds and Waves could justify another Eevee.

The Pokémon leaks, which accurately predicted the name and broader theming of Gen 10, have proven trustworthy thus far. These leaks do not refer to a new Eevee type, but they do mention new mechanics that could form the basis for a new Eeeve. The first and most obvious pathway would be if Pokémon Winds and Waves introduces a new monster type, as Pokémon X & Y did with Fairies. Sure enough, the leaks refer to something called Seed Pokémon. These are baby-type monsters that have "infinite variations," according to internal Game Freak documents. If that doesn't sound like an Eeveelution in the making, I don't know what does.

We still don't know if Pokémon Winds and Waves will actually include this so-called Seed-type, or if the name actually refers to a monster temporary monster state, like Mega Evolution. But even if that pathway doesn't pan out, there's still reason to hold out hope. Those same leaks also refer to mass weather events, and there hints of a larger weather system throughout the Pokémon Winds and Waves debut trailer. The first thing we see is a windmill spinning against the air current, which drafts clouds across the horizon. There seems to be a cloud generation system as well, based on the shape-shifting puffs visible near the end of the trailer. Ocean waves roil throughout the trailer as well.

The official Pokémon Winds and Waves website also teases some kind of mechanic that sounds like the game will have a state-shifting environment. "During this adventure, you’ll team up with all kinds of Pokémon to overcome both the difficult road ahead and even the forces of nature that block your path at times," the website reads.

In my mind, this opens the door for a potential Ground-type Eevee, in keeping with the idea of a changing, moldable terrain. A Ground-type Eevee also pairs nicely with a Flying-type Eevee. Admittedly, neither is as enticing as other Eeveelution possibilities, like a Dragon-type Eevee, a Ghost-type Eeevee, or a Steel-type Eevee. But given how long it has been since Sylveon, any Eevelution would be exciting.

Would Game Freak actually go there, though? A new Eevee type would certainly be popular with players, but the studio has been hesitant over the years. Apparently, there's a reason we haven't seen a new Eevee according to the big Pokémon leaks. An internal Game Freak memo reportedly written back in 2014 — a year after Sylveon — claimed that Game Freak had already drafted a concept for a Flying-type Eevee. "After being told that the design was similar to a design created by a fan, it was decided that the design costs would be very high," the memo allegedly reads. "If there is a game where Flying Eevee, or if there is high value in the game, then it is not worth the high cost."

Still, it's been over a decade since Game Freak supposedly ruled out a Flying Eevelution. The studio has already shown a willingness to revisit scrapped monster ideas. Pokémon Scarlet and Violet included a Flying-type Tera Eevee, so Game Freak clearly kept the idea alive in some form. What's more, the memo ends on this note: "We could make that decision, but that is not the case at the moment. We will put it on hold until we can determine the importance of the new Pokémon."

Will Pokémon Winds and Waves give us a new Eevelution, then? We'll know in 2027, when the Switch 2 games are released worldwide.