There’s a new king of Japanese gaming hype, and it hasn’t even been released yet. Pokémon Winds and Pokémon Waves — the Gen 10 duo built exclusively for Nintendo Switch 2 — have done it again: another week, another crown on Famitsu’s most-wanted games chart. But the real story hiding in the numbers is the quiet rise of a Nintendo RPG that fans refuse to forget, and a top 10 that reads like a wish list for the next three years of your life.
The latest Famitsu reader poll, published on August 9, 2026, collected votes between July 22 and July 28 — and the results are a masterclass in Japanese hype culture. Pokémon Winds and Pokémon Waves pulled in a massive 588 votes to hold the #1 spot, miles ahead of everything else. But that’s just the headline. Dig deeper and the chart is full of surprises: Xenoblade Genesis has climbed to #8, Persona fans are juggling two different Atlus dreams at once, and Ocarina of Time is somehow still winning hearts almost three decades later.
Why Pokémon Winds and Waves Are Unstoppable
It’s easy to see why Japanese players keep voting. Pokémon Winds and Pokémon Waves are the first mainline Pokémon games built from the ground up for Nintendo Switch 2, launching worldwide in 2027 in a simultaneous release. The reveal trailer showed a breathtaking island region ruled by wind and water — sweeping coastlines, lush forests, and an ocean that looks like it actually wants to be explored.
The new starters have already become internet celebrities in their own right:
- Browt — the Bean Chick Pokémon (Grass-type), a lively little guy that photosynthesizes through leaf-like growths on its brow.
- Pombon — the Puppy Pokémon (Fire-type) with the Blaze ability and a warm glow in its throat that fans are already calling “the goodest starter ever.”
- Gecqua — the Water Gecko Pokémon (Water-type), an intelligent battler that launches spring-like water balls from its tail.
And let’s not forget Mr. Windychu and Ms. Wavychu — two Pokémon Winds and Waves versions of Pikachu dressed for the island summer. Whether they’re event distributions or version exclusives is still unknown, which is exactly the kind of mystery that keeps hype threads alive.
The Full Famitsu Top 10: Japan’s Wish List Revealed
Here’s how the latest chart stacks up, straight from the reader votes:
- Pokémon Winds / Waves [NS2] — 588 votes
- Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave [NS2] — 410 votes
- Persona 4 Revival [PS5] — 392 votes
- Zelda: Ocarina of Time [NS2] — 350 votes
- Persona 6 [PS5] — 251 votes
- Dragon Quest Monsters: The Withered World [NS2] — 219 votes
- Final Fantasy 7 Revelation [PS5] — 217 votes
- Xenoblade Genesis [NS2] — 204 votes
- Grand Theft Auto 6 [PS5] — 201 votes
- Onimusha: Way of the Sword [PS5] — 196 votes
The big mover this week is Xenoblade Genesis. It jumped from #10 to #8, and it’s the only game in the top 10 that’s still hammering on the door of the heavyweights. Slated for Nintendo Switch 2 in 2027, it’s proving that the Xenoblade fanbase is one of the most loyal in gaming — a dedicated legion that keeps voting week after week.
What the Chart Tells Us About Nintendo’s 2026-2027 Lineup
If you squint at this chart, a pattern emerges: Nintendo Switch 2 is absolutely dominating Japanese anticipation. Half of the top 10 is NS2-exclusive software, which lines up perfectly with the console’s explosive start — the Switch 2 has already sold 23.68 million units, and the software pipeline shows no signs of slowing down.
Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave sitting at #2 is no accident either — its Direct reveal hid a secret protagonist and a wild timeskip, and fans are still processing it. Meanwhile, the Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter remake appears twice on the chart (at #13 on PS5 and #21 on Switch 2), which says everything about how hungry JRPG fans are for the September 17 remaster.
Are You Team Winds or Team Waves?
The Famitsu numbers are one thing — but the real battle is happening in the comments. Are you Team Winds with its breezy island vibes? Or Team Waves with the ocean exploration? And more importantly: which starter are you picking — Browt, Pombon, or Gecqua?
And let’s hear it for the dark horse: is Xenoblade Genesis actually going to crack the top 5 before 2027? Drop your predictions below. The hype train leaves the station either way — and with 588 votes still growing, Pokémon Winds and Waves are only getting started.
