Which Pokémon game inspired Shigeru Ohmori’s idea for Pokémon Pokopia’s habitat-building concept?

Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire inspired Shigeru Ohmori’s idea for Pokémon Pokopia’s habitat-building concept.

During Pokopia’s development, Shigeru Ohmori reflected on his earliest work in the Pokémon series as a map designer on Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire. He considered how appealing it could be for players to create their own Pokémon habitats rather than simply travel through fixed routes and towns.

That idea helped shape Pokopia’s central loop. Players gather materials, construct buildings and furniture, restore damaged areas, and create conditions that encourage particular Pokémon to appear. The result is a Pokémon spin-off centered on cultivation and community rather than the usual badge-and-battle progression.

Ruby and Sapphire are therefore an important development influence, not the setting of Pokopia. Pokopia takes place in a post-apocalyptic version of Kanto and features Pokémon from Generations I through IX. The inspiration concerns the design philosophy behind the game’s customizable habitats.