Omega Force was the Pokémon Pokopia co-developer chosen for its sandbox-game experience.
Game Freak conceived Pokopia as a Pokémon spin-off focused on creating and restoring habitats. Because Game Freak had less experience with the sandbox genre, The Pokémon Company recommended Koei Tecmo’s Omega Force as a development partner.
Omega Force had previously worked on sandbox-style projects, including Dragon Quest Builders 2. That background suited Pokopia’s emphasis on gathering materials, crafting objects, changing terrain, and constructing spaces that attract Pokémon.
Game Freak remained central to the project, so Pokopia was not an Omega Force-only production. The two studios co-developed the game, combining Game Freak’s Pokémon expertise with Omega Force’s experience in construction-focused gameplay. Another frequent confusion is assuming Nintendo developed the game directly; Nintendo published it worldwide, while Game Freak and Omega Force handled development.