For the better part of three decades, Pokemon’s creatures have been called upon by their human trainers to do battle with each other at their command. But in 2026, the Pokemon are finally going to have their own paradise in this world in Pokemon Pokopia.
This upcoming cozy game isn’t about Pokemon knocking the heck out of each other. Instead, the player can offer them the chance to live side-by-side in an environment that’s been specifically tailored to their individual needs. There’s no need to fight over anything, or even any need for a human to determine their destiny. Players may be guiding the actions of the Pokemon, but Pokopia will be built by a Ditto one brick at a time.
When will Pokemon Pokopia be released?
Pokemon Pokopia will be released on March 5, 2026. When the game was announced in September 2025, Pokemon Pokopia only had a vague 2026 release window. In November, Nintendo has formally announced that the game would be released just four short months later, in early March 2026.
Pokemon Pokopia Trailers
Only the announcement trailer has been released to date, but there’s not really a story in this game. Instead of placing a human at the center of the gameplay, Pokopia introduces a Ditto that uses its natural transformation abilities to pass itself off as a human. This Ditto isn’t hiding its true nature from the other Pokemon, but its ability to have a human body with Pokemon skills will go a long way towards the shaping the landscape.
Pokemon Pokopia Platforms
Although Pokemon Pokopia doesn’t appear to be too visually taxing for either model of the Switch, it will be exclusive to Nintendo Switch 2. Players who only have the original Switch will have to upgrade before they can move into Pokopia.
Pokemon Pokopia Story, Setting and Characters
Ditto is the main character of Pokemon Pokopia, but the trailer confirms that other classic Pokemon–including Pikachu, Bulbasaur, Squirtle, and Charmander–will be drawn to Pokopia by the choices made by Ditto.
There don’t appear to be any outside threats in this game. And as long as the Pokemon feel taken care of, it looks like they’re going to be very happy in their new home. As for Ditto, it’s unclear if its human-facing appearance can be customized by gender. But it seems like a safe bet that there will be some customization options.
Pokemon Pokopia Gameplay
The gameplay looks like a cross between Minecraft, Animal Crossing, and Dragon Quest Builders. In the trailer, Ditto demonstrates the ability to mimic the powers of other Pokemon to make grass grow or retrieve raw materials to craft objects and dwellings. Ditto can build homes for the Pokemon, transform the landscape, and even divert water to the area for a waterfall and ponds.
Ditto can also grow crops and cook food for the Pokemon, and the trailer indicates that other player characters will also be able to visit the home you’ve made for yourself in the game.
Pokemon Pokopia Development News
Pokemon Pokopia is being developed by Omega Force, the studio behind the Dynasty Warrior franchise, Persona 5 Strikers, and Fire Emblem Warriors. Omega Force has also had a lot of success working with Nintendo on the Legend of Zelda spin-offs Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity and Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment.
For now, it’s unknown if Pokemon Pokopia will receive any post-launch DLC from Omega Force after the game’s release in March 2026.
