Which director conceived Pokémon Pokopia as a Pokémon habitat-building spin-off?

Shigeru Ohmori conceived Pokémon Pokopia as a Pokémon habitat-building spin-off.

Ohmori began considering the project while working on Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. He drew inspiration from his earliest work in the franchise, when he served as a map designer on Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire. That experience led him to think about how appealing it would be for players to create and shape their own Pokémon habitats.

The idea differed from the usual battle-focused structure of the main series. Instead of making battles the central activity, Pokopia emphasizes exploration, construction, cultivation, and relationships with Pokémon. Ditto uses transformation-based abilities and moves learned from other Pokémon to restore a world left damaged and abandoned by humans.

Ohmori’s role should not be confused with every credited directing role on the project. Takuto Edagawa served as chief director, while Ohmori acted as concept and senior director. The game was co-developed by Game Freak and Omega Force and released for Nintendo Switch 2 in 2026.