Which Pokémon game inspired Pokémon Pokopia’s habitat-building concept, according to its development background?

Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire inspired Pokémon Pokopia’s habitat-building concept, according to its development background.

The connection comes from the idea of cultivating spaces where Pokémon could live and interact. Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire introduced the Secret Base feature, which allowed players to personalize hidden spaces with decorations. That earlier creative feature helped demonstrate the appeal of making a place feel personal rather than simply passing through it.

Pokopia expands that idea into the game’s central loop. Instead of decorating one small secret room, players reshape broader areas, gather materials, construct homes, grow crops, and encourage Pokémon to settle into the landscape. The result is a full life-simulation setting built around Pokémon habitats.

This answer can be confused with other Pokémon generations because later games added their own customization systems, including contests, camps, and picnic features. The specific development inspiration identified for Pokopia is Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire, the paired Generation III games released for Game Boy Advance in 2002 in Japan.