Pokémon and Animal Crossing are two of the biggest games on the Switch. With Pokémon: Pokopia, Nintendo mixes its most popular franchises into one game.
What did Nintendo present? At the Nintendo Direct on September 12, 2025, Nintendo introduced a new Pokémon game: Pokémon Pokopia appears to mix elements of Animal Crossing and Pokémon, and some even feel reminded of Minecraft.
Pokemon meets Animal Crossing: Like Palworld, but without guns
What exactly kind of game is this? Pokémon Pokopia looks like a farming sim, similar to other games we know: We gather resources, build a settlement, and take care of new residents. Our residents are typically well-known Pokémon, each with their own traits. The player takes on the role of a Ditto, a shapeshifter that can adopt various forms.
You can shape and change the landscape according to your wishes by planting some grass where Pokémon can hide.
What are the reactions like? Very mixed. Some are excited right away, while others are mocking, claiming that this cleverly copies Minecraft. User ScottNBNP complains, “Wait, so Palmon can’t exist because it copies Pokémon, but Pokémon can copy Minecraft?” referring to the lawsuit Nintendo is currently in with Palworld.
What does this have to do with Palworld? In Pokopia, you use the abilities of the Pokémon that join you, much like in Palworld. Here, you also use the abilities of the Pals you have captured.
As a shape-shifter, Ditto makes use of the abilities of different Pokémon: Bulbasaur helps with planting, Squirtle with watering. But other elements, such as the straw beds on which the Pokémon sleep, are also visually reminiscent of the unloved competition.
The lawsuit between the developers of Palworld and Nintendo is still ongoing. The Japanese video game company has now registered two new patents, one of which is particularly noteworthy: Nintendo registers a patent in the middle of the lawsuit with Palworld that could also become problematic for other games.
