Who conceived Pokémon Pokopia as a spin-off while developing Pokémon Scarlet and Violet?

Shigeru Ohmori conceived Pokémon Pokopia as a spin-off while developing Pokémon Scarlet and Violet.

Ohmori was the director of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet and had earlier worked as a map designer on Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire. His experience with designing game spaces helped inspire the idea that players might enjoy creating and cultivating their own Pokémon habitats.

The concept grew into a game centered on rebuilding an abandoned environment rather than progressing through gyms and battles. Ohmori served as Pokopia’s concept and senior director, helping guide the project’s overall identity.

His role is sometimes mixed up with that of Takuto Edagawa, who served as chief director at Omega Force, or with the developers of the main Pokémon series. Pokopia became a collaboration between Game Freak and Omega Force, but its initial creative spark came from Ohmori’s interest in player-created habitats.