A Beloved Gen-1 Pokémon Is Getting A New Evolution After Nearly 30 Years

Published Aug 20, 2026, 5:36 AM EDT

James is a gaming writer from London who has spent thousands of hours exploring titles from every genre. Though he has a particular affinity for multiplayer titles like World of Warcraft, Destiny 2 and League of Legends, he has also put thousands of hours into single-player experiences, from deep RPGs to epic PC strategies. When he's not playing or writing, he can usually be found supporting his beloved Brentford FC.

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Pokémon is having its biggest year in a long time this year, as the franchise marks thirty years since its inception with all kinds of exciting announcements. The TCG is getting a special Anniversary set that includes many of the classic 'mons from the first generation, with a ton of art rares that are sure to draw plenty of attention from collectors.

Alongside that, we've also had confirmation of the next game in the video game series, with Pokémon Winds and Waves marking the first game of the tenth generation. What exactly that will look like remains unclear, but there are plenty of leaks and rumors flying about, including on a long-standing fan favorite which could be about to get another evoltuion, for the first time in three decades.

Over on Twitter/X, the user Centro LEAKS, who has become known for sharing information on upcoming Pokémon titles, shared a raft of updates on what fans can expect from Winds and Waves. Amongst that glut of information was the news that Onix will get a brand new Regional Evolution, really advancing the line for the first time since the introduction of Steelix in 1999.

What exactly that will look like remains unclear, but we can safely assume it will be another hard material. We did get a Mega Steelix for the first time with Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire in 2014, but this should be a very different prospect for what remains a very popular Pokémon with fans.

That wasn't the only exciting bit of news shared by the user, with Houndour, Zweilous, and Salandit all getting their own Regional Evolution variants. The bad news is that it also seems there won't be another Eeveelution this time around, in what will inevitably be a big disappointment for those who collect them.

Centro LEAKS also confirmed some interesting mechanical aspects to the upcoming game, including the fact that both of the new Legendaries will play a role in both games, in a similar approach to the one taken in Black and White. Lastly, shinies in the overworld and the shiny sound is making a return, in what will be a huge boon to shiny hunters planning on buying the game.

We don't have a release date for Pokémon Winds and Waves just yet, beyond the fact that it should be arriving towards the back half of next year. We can likely expect to see a little more of it this year or early in 2027, but otherwise we'll just have to wait until Game Freak decides to break cover.