Pokémon Pokopia release date: Everything we know about the Animal Crossing-like game

Nintendo is doing something different with Pokémon this year, and it has fans of cozy farming games excited. Pokémon Pokopia is an Animal Crossing-style game that has players build their own Pokémon habitats. It’s the 30th anniversary of the legendary franchise, so we might see even more Pokémon games, but for now, we have Pokopia – and it looks like a dream for anyone looking for a ‘slice of life’ adventure.

The game has you play as a Ditto that transforms into a human. You take over an abandoned location and make it the best Pokémon hangout with the help of a Tangrowth, called Professor Tangrowth. With the Pokémon Pokopia release date announced, we look at what the latest Pokémon game has to offer. 

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The Escapist recaps

• Pokémon Pokopia is a cozy-core Animal Crossing-like title. 
• Players play as a customizable Ditto that can shapeshift into a human and Pokémon. 
• The goal is to turn a desolate, deserted area into a Pokémon paradise. 
• Ditto learns unique moves from fellow Pokémon and uses them to open new gameplay mechanics. 

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Pokémon Pokopia release date and platforms – is it on Switch 1?

Pokémon Pokopia’s release dateis set for March 5, 2026. Nintendo announced the release date back on November 11, 2025, and dropped a chunky gameplay explainer a few days later. Pokémon Pokopia platforms only include Nintendo Switch 2; there is no word on a native Switch 1 port for now. 

In stark contrast to Animal Crossing: New Horizons, Pokémon Pokopia supports Gameshare. A second player can play the game without owning it thanks to the Switch 2 feature. Pokopia will also ship on a game-key card, so physical copies will come with what is essentially an empty cartridge, and you’ll need to download the game from the eShop. 

Pokémon Pokopia preorders are also live; players can purchase the digital and physical copies on Nintendo’s official eShop. Pokémon Pokopia costs $69.99 / £58.99, and there is no pre-order bonus this time around. However, Pokémon Center is giving a Ditto plush with each pre-order while supplies last. 

Pokémon Pokopia trailer and gameplay analysis

The Pokémon Pokopia announcement trailer gave us the first look at Ditto changing into a human trainer. Ditto helps out their Pokémon friends, grows some vegetables, and makes structures. 

Nintendo released a 10-minute-long Pokémon Pokopia gameplay trailer on November 13, 2025. The explainer detailed the setting, the premise, the characters, and the gameplay. Players play as Ditto, which shapeshifts into a human trainer. It’s strongly implied that Ditto takes over its former Trainer’s persona. Players will be able to fully customize their Ditto with plenty of outfits, hats, and designs. 

The trailer introduces Professor Tangrowth, a crucial NPC who’ll help you rebuild a desolate location. The goal is simple: to make the area habitable and welcoming to Pokémon. Once the basic setup is complete, your “Poke-Town” will attract fellow Pokémon. Make them comfortable, use their unique skills, and learn from them to grow your habitat. 

Just like Animal Crossing, players will be able to terraform the playable area, decorate it, and build structures on it. Ditto can also learn abilities from other Pokémon; for example, it can water plants by learning the ability from Squirtle. Want to swim? Learn from Lapras. Want to fly? Learn it from Dragonite. 

As you continue populating the land with advanced structures, new Pokémon will flock to it, and you’ll have a thriving community. Pokémon will also come to you with requests for improving the town. It’s a solid loop that most cozy gamers will be well aware of. 

Pokémon Pokopia has multiplayer

Pokémon Pokopia multiplayer lets you invite up to three friends to your town for cooperative multiplayer. Players will be able to collaborate on almost every gameplay element. From town building to resource gathering, your friends can speed up the process. Players can connect via local Wi-Fi or online; online play requires an active Nintendo Switch Online membership. 

While players on Nintendo Switch 1 can’t natively play Pokémon Pokopia, they can join a friend on Switch 2 with Gameshare. They won’t need to purchase a copy to join in on the cozy-core fun either. 

Pokémon Pokopia: All Pokémon we spotted

Nintendo hasn’t released an official Pokémon Pokédex yet. However, that doesn’t stop us from rewatching the 10-minute showcase to spot as many as we can. While the list isn’t super accurate and might contain errors, it is nonetheless impressive how many Pokémon we could spot in the Pokémon Pokopia trailer.

Here’s the list of Pokémon Pokopia Pokemon:

Abra	Alakazam	Machop	Bellsprout
Bulbasaur	Charmander	Charizard	Squirtle
Cacturne	Castform	Swablu	Piplup
Chansey	Scyther	Pinsir	Magikarp
Clefairy	Vulpix	Jigglypuff	Oddish
Combee	Vespiquen	Shellos	Drifloon
Duraludon	Pawmi	Tatsugiri	Ditto
Excadrill	Timburr	Trubbish	Garbodor
Exeggutor	Cubone	Hitmonlee	Hitmonchan
Flaaffy	Bellossom	Marill	Sudowoodo
Geodude	Slowpoke	Farfetch’d	Onix
Goodra	Mimikyu	Rookidee	Dreepy
Haxorus	Greninja	Sylveon	Goomy
Hoothoot	Spinarak	Pichu	Mareep
Lapras	Eevee	Vaporeon	Flareon
Lotad	Ludicolo	Wingull	Gardevoir
Lucario	Leafeon	Glaceon	Drilbur
Makuhita	Azurill	Mawile	Gulpin
Mime Jr.	Happiny	Munchlax	Riolu
Paras	Venonat	Diglett	Meowth
Psyduck	Growlithe	Arcanine	Poliwag
Snorlax	Dratini	Dragonair	Dragonite
Tyrogue	Larvitar	Tyranitar	Torchic
Wartortle	Pidgey	Pidgeot	Pikachu
Wooper	Espeon	Umbreon	Heracross
Zorua	Minccino	Cinccino	Litwick

New Pokémon in Pokémon Pokopia

We also spotted several new Pokémon variants in the trailers, the very first one being Professor Tangrowth. Professor variant of Tangrowth has grayish vines on its head and a beard-like vine setup that completes its “professor” look. The new Tangrowth also has spectacles and a TM on its head. 

The gameplay trailer ends by introducing Peakychu, a white colored Pikachu. We also see Mosslax, a mossy version of Snorlax, and Smearguru and painter-like version of Smeargle. 

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References

1. Pokémon Pokopia for Nintendo Switch 2 (Nintendo)
2. Pokémon Pokopia (Pokémon Center Official Site)

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