Which game helped convince developers that Omega Force suited Pokémon Pokopia’s sandbox design?

Dragon Quest Builders 2 helped convince developers that Omega Force suited Pokémon Pokopia’s sandbox design.

Pokopia was conceived around the idea of letting fans cultivate their own Pokémon habitats, but Game Freak lacked extensive experience with sandbox games. The Pokémon Company recommended Koei Tecmo’s Omega Force, whose previous work included Dragon Quest Builders 2.

That experience was relevant because Pokopia combines construction with exploration and a welcoming life-simulation structure. Players collect materials, build structures, create habitats, and use Pokémon abilities to alter the landscape. These systems require more than the traditional Pokémon formula of travelling, battling, and collecting.

Minecraft, Viva Piñata, and Animal Crossing were later used by critics as comparison points for Pokopia’s overall feel, but they are not the specific game cited in the development account as Omega Force’s relevant sandbox experience. The named influence for choosing the co-developer was Dragon Quest Builders 2.