Who originally conceived Pokémon Pokopia as a spin-off project?

Shigeru Ohmori originally conceived Pokémon Pokopia as a spin-off project.

Ohmori developed the idea during work on Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. He considered how enjoyable it could be for players to cultivate habitats of their own, which led to the concept that became Pokopia.

That origin is visible in the finished game’s design. Pokémon Pokopia is centered on shaping environments, building homes and facilities, and attracting Pokémon by creating suitable habitats. Its core activities grew from the idea of giving players more control over the world around them.

Ohmori is often associated with major Pokémon development roles, but this question concerns the game’s original conception rather than its entire production staff. Pokopia was later co-developed by Game Freak and Omega Force, with the wider team turning the initial habitat-building idea into a full social-simulation game.