Who conceived the original concept for Pokémon Pokopia?

Shigeru Ohmori conceived the original concept for Pokémon Pokopia.

Ohmori developed the idea while thinking about new directions for the Pokémon series. His earlier work as a map designer on Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire helped shape the concept: he became interested in letting players create and cultivate their own Pokémon habitats rather than simply exploring fixed routes.

The concept later grew into a sandbox-style spin-off during the development of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. Ohmori served as the game’s concept and senior director, while Omega Force’s Takuto Edagawa served as chief director. Those roles are related but not identical.

Ohmori is sometimes confused with other major Pokémon creators, including Satoshi Tajiri and Junichi Masuda. Tajiri founded Game Freak and created the original concept for Pokémon, while Masuda held major development and music roles. The specific Pokopia concept is credited to Ohmori.