One of the longest-running franchises in video gaming is once again hoping to catch them all.

The Pokemon Co. will release two new Pokemon games in 2027 for Nintendo¡¯s Switch 2 console, called Pokemon Winds and Pokemon Waves, the Japanese entertainment company announced during a livestream marking the brand¡¯s 30th anniversary on Friday. The games include an open world for players to explore, themed around windswept islands and an ocean.

The releases mark a new era for the series and is likely to encompass new storylines, regions and characters. It will also bolster the lineup for the Switch 2, Nintendo¡¯s flagship console released last year.

While the device has smashed sales records, some fans were disappointed by the lack of new games at launch for core Nintendo series such as Super Mario. Many releases for the console are enhanced versions of existing titles or spin-offs.

Still, the Pok¨¦mon Co. revealed few details about the new titles and fans will have a long wait.

Long synonymous with Nintendo, which co-owns the Pokemon Co. with game developer Game Freak and Creatures, the series has expanded from its Game Boy origins into a multibillion-dollar cross-platform franchise. The brand spans trading cards, mobile games, shows and brand partnerships. A Pokemon-themed fashion collaboration with Dutch designer JimmyPaul debuted at London Fashion Week this month.

The basic premise of the games sees players assume the role of an aspiring human champion who captures and trains various species of Pokemon ¡ª creatures with unique magical powers ¡ª to do battle.

Nintendo and its partners have evolved the format over the years, with Niantic¡¯s smash hit mobile game Pok¨¦mon GO in 2016, sleep-tracking game Pokemon Sleep and puzzle game Pokemon Cafe ReMix.

In March, the company is also scheduled to release Pokopia for the Switch 2, a spin-off life-simulation game.

Pokemon rapidly grew into a global phenomenon following the first titles¡¯ release on Game Boy.

Titles available on multiple consoles and mobile phones have sold more than 500 million copies over the franchise¡¯s 30-year history, according to figures from the Pokemon Company and Nintendo.

Originally inspired by traditional summer insect hunts in Japan, gameplay usually involves capturing and training fantastical ¡°pocket monsters¡± resembling anything from mice to dragons, before sending them into battle against one another.

Beyond consoles, Pokemon has also spawned films, an animated series and the augmented reality mobile game ¡°Pokemon Go.¡±

In 2024, the brand generated $12 billion in revenues, according to specialist data firm License Global, more than toy giant Mattel.