Who conceived Pokémon Pokopia after considering player-created Pokémon habitats?

Shigeru Ohmori conceived Pokémon Pokopia after considering player-created Pokémon habitats.

Ohmori was reflecting on new directions for the Pokémon franchise and on his earlier experience as a map designer for Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire. He became interested in the idea of letting players cultivate habitats for Pokémon rather than simply traveling through environments designed entirely by the developers.

That concept developed into Pokopia’s central loop: players shape terrain, place objects, grow plants, and create conditions that attract particular Pokémon. Ohmori was also involved with Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, but Pokopia was conceived as a spin-off with a different structure and tone.

Takuto Edagawa served as the game’s chief director at Omega Force, so his name can be confused with Ohmori’s. The two held different roles. Ohmori provided the concept and served as senior director, while Edagawa led direction within the co-development partnership.