The Pokemon franchise is heading in a direction nobody expected. Pokemon Pokopia launches March 5, 2026 exclusively on Nintendo Switch 2, and it’s a full life-simulation game developed by Omega Force (the team behind Hyrule Warriors) with their largest development team ever.
Think Animal Crossing meets Minecraft — but with Pokemon. And you’re a Ditto.
You Play as a Ditto (Seriously)
Pokopia’s premise is unlike anything the franchise has attempted. You play as a Ditto that has transformed into a human form, imitating what it remembers its trainer looking like. You wake up in a world where all people and nearly all Pokemon have vanished, and your goal is to rebuild — creating habitats, growing food, and coaxing Pokemon back to the land.
The main story runs approximately 20-40 hours, with additional post-credits content extending the experience further.
Gameplay: Minecraft Meets Dragon Quest Builders
The core loop revolves around your Ditto’s unique ability to learn moves from wild Pokemon and use them to interact with the environment:
- Bulbasaur’s Leafage — Transform your arms into vines and plant grass
- Squirtle’s Water Gun — Water crops and fill pools
- Scyther’s moves — Cut down trees for wood
- Hitmonchan’s moves — Punch through rocks for materials
You’ll collect berries, rocks, and wood, build furniture and homes for Pokemon, till fields for vegetables, and create different biomes to attract specific species. A real-time day/night cycle tied to your system clock adds rhythm to the experience.
The visual style is pastel and blocky — widely compared to Minecraft in aesthetic, though outlets like The Gamer argue the actual gameplay structure is closer to Dragon Quest Builders.
Multiplayer: 4-Player Co-Op with Persistent Servers
Pokopia supports up to 4 players online in two modes. Visit mode lets friends explore your world, while co-op build mode lets players construct a collective world together on Minecraft-style persistent servers that stay online even when the host disconnects.
What’s Coming Next
A Nintendo Treehouse Live featuring 80 minutes of Pokopia gameplay airs February 24 at 5 PM EST. A separate Pokemon Presents is scheduled for February 27. Pre-orders are live now, with early purchasers receiving a Ditto rug in-game item.
Game Freak has cited Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire as inspirations, and multiple outlets have drawn comparisons to Palworld — with GamesRadar noting “Nintendo finally wises up to Palworld.” Whether that comparison is fair or not, Pokopia is shaping up to be one of Switch 2’s most intriguing exclusives.
