Nintendo has announced an impressive-looking Pokémon life simulation spin-off, Pokémon Pokopia, which sees you collecting resources and building furniture to shape the environment around you. Sound familiar?
Similar to Animal Crossing, Pokopia looks set to offer a relaxed experience. Here, you gradually learn and utilise Pokémon abilities to create a welcoming home for yourself and your fellow Pokémon.
Players control a human-form Ditto, and gradually pick up the abilities of other creatures. The Grass-type Bulbasaur, for example, offers the ability to grow plants, while learning from Water-type Squirtle will let you water them. You can shape terrain by punching it, learning from Hitmonchan, or build wooden structures by learning construction techniques from Timburr.
It’s unclear as yet how large the game’s world stretches, but today’s debut trailer, above, showed the player utilising Scyther’s swipes to cut down foliage, and Drilbur’s digging prowess to redirect the water flow of a waterfall. A Diglett, meanwhile, appears to be looking after a patch of vegetables.
Later scenes show a glimpse at a beach location, and the interior of a more comfortable looking house. There also appears to be something of a day-night cycle.
Today brought a huge amount of Nintendo news, featuring everything from Mario to Pokémon, and Yoshi to Fire Emblem. For much more, check out everything announced at the Nintendo Direct September 2025.
Tom Phillips is IGN’s News Editor. You can reach Tom at [email protected] or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social
