Shigeru Ohmori conceived Pokémon Pokopia after working as a map designer on Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire.
During development of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, Ohmori considered new directions for the Pokémon franchise. He remembered his early work designing maps for Ruby and Sapphire and imagined that fans might enjoy creating their own Pokémon habitats. That idea became the foundation for Pokopia's building and restoration-focused design.
Ohmori's concept was developed with Omega Force because Game Freak lacked comparable sandbox experience. He served as the game's concept and senior director, while the project combined Pokémon characters with systems inspired by habitat creation and construction games. This origin story helps explain why Pokopia feels different from battle-centered Pokémon adventures while still retaining the franchise's emphasis on discovering and bonding with Pokémon.