If Pokopia can successfully merge Pokémon with Animal Crossing, it could be absolutely huge
2026 preview: But will Pokémon Pokopia gives fans a good reason to come back every day?
Pokémon meets Animal Crossing should be the biggest game in the world.
When Pokémon Pokopia was first announced, the reaction from many fans of both franchises was “why haven’t they done this before?” The Pokémon franchise has branched out in countless directions over its 30-year history, but Pokémon Pokopia has serious potential to bring back fans who’ve moved away from the RPGs.
In Pokémon Pokopia, you play as Ditto. Well, a Ditto in the shape of a human, which is unsettling and charming in equal measure. You’re given the task of cleaning up a mysterious region of the Pokémon world. You’re met by Professor Tangrowth, who asks for your help in making the world around you inhabitable for Pokémon once again.
The idea is you’re rebuilding the world around you, and the tools you are using are Pokémon moves taught to you by familiar faces. For example, there may be a bush blocking your access to a new path, so you need to first build something in your world that will attract a Bulbasaur, who will then teach you how to use Cut. This is why you’re playing as Ditto, the Pokémon that can famously transform into any other Pokémon.
It’s these abilities, and the loop of attracting Pokémon to your island to help you rebuild the world, that mean Pokémon Pokopia is not just Pokémon Animal Crossing, but also Pokémon Dragon Quest Builders.
What we’ve yet to see is whether Pokémon Pokopia is designed to be a game that players check in on every day, or a more linear experience that can be completed and moved on from. One of the factors that makes the Animal Crossing games so successful is the gameplay loop, which rewards players for coming back on a daily basis.
Some players have criticised time-gated gameplay like this, but it’s inarguable that part of the reason that Animal Crossing was so culturally relevant for long after it released was that players were always coming back to check in on their island to see which villagers appeared, and which in-game events were happening.
Pokémon Pokopia has over 1000 Pokémon to choose from at this point, so if they wanted to, new Pokémon with new abilities to build your world could be added for literal years before Omega Force ran out.
The Pokémon Company describes Pokémon Pokopia as a “relaxing life simulation game devoted to crafting, creating, and building.” We’re hopeful that, like the best crafting games, there’s a lot of depth to the mechanics so that fans who want to engage on a deeper level are rewarded, while those who wish to take it easy can also have fun.
“We’re hopeful that, like the best crafting games, there’s a lot of depth to the mechanics so that fans who want to engage on a deeper level are rewarded”
Pokémon Pokopia’s other biggest unknown at the moment is the surprise announcements of new Pokémon forms, Peakychu, Mosslax, and Smearguru. These new forms of Pikachu, Snorlax , and Smeargle popped up in the game’s latest trailer, and appear to be Pokémon Pokopia-only forms of some old favourites.
How these Pokémon will function in the game, and whether they’ll make it out of Pokémon Pokopia, is yet to be seen, but it’s encouraging that The Pokémon Company is willing to let Omega Force introduce new, exclusive forms, something it doesn’t do lightly.
Pokémon Pokopia looks like it will offer something different and potentially bring fans back to the series that has been gone for a few generations. The longevity of the game will depend on many factors, including the complexity of the mechanics and whether there’s an Animal Crossing-like incentive to keep coming back.
One thing looks more certain – 2026 looks set to be the biggest year for Pokémon since the peak of Pokémania. Pokémon Pokopia, Pokémon Champions, and – more than likely – a brand new generation of main series Pokémon will make for an incredibly busy year for Pokémon fans.
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