Who conceived Pokémon Pokopia as a game about cultivating Pokémon habitats?

Shigeru Ohmori conceived Pokémon Pokopia as a game about cultivating Pokémon habitats.

Ohmori was the director of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet and had earlier worked as a map designer on Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire. While considering new directions for the Pokémon series, he focused on the appeal of allowing players to create environments designed for Pokémon.

That idea became the foundation for Pokopia’s life-simulation and sandbox structure. Instead of centering the experience on conventional Pokémon battles, the game asks players to restore damaged land, construct habitats, gather materials, and attract Pokémon by meeting their environmental needs.

Ohmori’s role is sometimes confused with the game’s development team. Game Freak partnered with Omega Force, the Koei Tecmo studio known for sandbox experience including Dragon Quest Builders 2. Ohmori originated the concept, while the two studios collaborated on development.