Which Pokémon game inspired Pokémon Pokopia’s habitat-building idea through its director’s early work?

Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire inspired Pokémon Pokopia’s habitat-building idea through Shigeru Ohmori’s early work.

Before becoming a leading director, Ohmori worked as a map designer on Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire. While developing ideas for a Pokémon spin-off, he reflected on that experience and considered how appealing it could be for players to create their own Pokémon habitats.

That reflection became part of Pokopia’s foundation. The new game lets players shape an environment, build a settlement, cultivate nature, and encourage Pokémon to live in suitable spaces. The connection is therefore about design inspiration rather than a direct remake or sequel relationship.

Ruby and Sapphire were third-generation Pokémon games, while Pokopia is a much later social-simulation spin-off. Their link comes from Ohmori’s professional history and the way map-making helped spark the new game’s world-building concept.