Pokemon Cozy Game Pokopia Leaks Reveal How Gen 1 Kanto Region Has Changed

Upcoming title Pokemon Pokopia takes Pokemon franchise in a new direction, putting players in the role of Ditta, who takes on human form and works with Pokémon to farm, build buildings, develop land and more. As additional information regarding Pokemon Pokopia When it was revealed, fans began to notice similarities between its setting and the iconic Kanto region from the first generation Pokemon games. Leaks that surfaced in late 2025 and early 2026 revealed more details Pokopie take on Kanto and how it has changed since then Pokemon red and green.

After release Pokemon Pokopia reveal trailer and extended trailer, sharp eyes Pokemon fans began to notice some familiar elements. Especially angular brown and brown hills see in Pokopie the trailers are similar to those encountered on Cinnabar Island where Pokemon red and green players will encounter a Fire Blaine type champion. (It's also suspected that the glasses worn by Professor Tangrowth's character once belonged to Blaine himself.) However, the lack of buildings and people in all the promotional material has led to theories that something very wrong has happened with this version of Kanto – theories that the leaks will soon seem to confirm.

Pokopia's Kanto appears to be a “post-apocalyptic” take on the region

Information about Popopia first surfaced in the mid-2025 Teraleak, which also included information on as-yet-unannounced Generation 10 games and potential additional contributions to Pokemon legends subseries. Popopia reportedly started life as a farming simulator similar Stardew Valley, with players able to hire Pokémon workers to complete various tasks around their farm.

Over time, the protagonist Ditto was added and the focus shifted to minecraft-like construction and crafts before agriculture. However, the idea of a post-apocalyptic Kanto setting seems to have been present since the earliest stages of the title's development.

Environmental disasters hit the cities of Kanto

IN Pokopie Kanto, known areas have been devastated by various environmental disasters that have contributed to the downfall of humanity and the abandonment of population centers and well-trodden routes. Leaks discussing a 2023 prototype Popopia, which may not be 100% accurate to the final product, included information on what happened to some of Kanto's iconic locations.

Celadon City – turned into a giant crater
Cerulean City — flooded
Vermilion Island — isolated from the mainland, volcano now inactive
City of Fuchsia — barren and devoid of plant life
Pallet Town — is no longer habitable due to the accumulation of waste
Vermilion City — the electrical infrastructure no longer works
Viridian City — the surrounding forest burned down

The game is reportedly divided into “areas” that players must recover, with additional areas unlocked as they progress through the game. The Fuchsia, Pewter, Vermillion, Saffron, Viridian, and Pallet Areas will be part of the base game, while the rumored DLC includes the Celadon, Cerulean, Cinnabar, and Lavender areas, as well as an “Indigo Area” that may represent Victory Road (described in leaks as “completely frozen”).

Who is that character?

Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.

Who is that character?

Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.

Easy (7.5s) Medium (5.0s) Hard (2.5s) Permadeath (2.5s)

Much like Pokemon Generation 10 and its allegedly deprecated features, some elements Popopia have changed since the version discussed in the leaks. There is more emphasis on crafting, and the original human hero has been changed to Ditto, who can learn various moves on his own instead of commanding Pokemon workers to use them.

However, the setting of post-apocalyptic Kanto seems to have remained the same. In particular, the extended trailer featured glimpses of a broken Kanto Pokedex, a destroyed Pokémon Center, and other hints at the return of the series' original region.

What happened to the Kanto region?

Notably, the leaks don't officially confirm exactly what happened to Kanto to leave it in this state. Documents about Popopia emphasize the focus on gradual environmental decay rather than a singular event, with factors such as the failure of Vermilion City's power grid or Cinnabar Island's dormant volcano contributing to the slow decline of civilization. However, what caused humanity to seemingly leave Kanto entirely has not been confirmed.

Interestingly, the topic of environmental disasters and their consequences seems to be something that Pokemon the franchise is being scrutinized in more detail in 2026. Information about Generation 10 Pokemon games, also revealed through leaks, suggest that the game will take place in a lush island paradise and that the player will come into conflict with a group that wants to develop the area for tourism purposes. series is no stranger to highlighting the dangers of environmental neglect – just look at Alolan Muk or Galarian Weezing, which quite strikingly show the effects of pollution on various Pokemon species.

Pokopia may take place in an alternate timeline

Of course, fans have several theories as to why Pokopie the setting is so bleak and ruined. Some speculate that the ultra-powered Legendary Pokemon Mewtwo may have been involved. Maybe her power could have gone mad, or a group like Team Rocket could have abused her in some way. Others speculate that humans or Pokémon may have traveled through time – as seen in titles such as Pokemon Legends: Arceus —or they hopped dimensions through a wormhole, somehow altering Kant's history and erasing humanity in the process.

Many hope so Popopia takes place in an alternate timeline and the happier and busier Kanto seen in the main series games and v Pokemon anime isn't what ends up turning into a bleak wasteland populated only by Pokémon. The existence of never-before-seen Pokémon variants, including the creepy Peakych and the moss-covered Mosslax, may lend credence to this theory. Perhaps Peakychu will finally answer the age-old question of what is really going on with the haunted town of Lavender and the Pokémon spirits that supposedly reside there?

Whatever happened to Kanto to end it this way, players will be able to team up with their Pokémon friends and restore the region to at least some of its former glory when Pokemon Pokopia starts March 5th. There definitely seems to be a darker and more serious story beneath the game's cozy exterior, as the Kanto region has changed dramatically from the friendly and welcoming world encountered in the very first generation of games. Pokemon games. Fortunately, with protagonist Ditto and their friends at the helm, it may not be too late for Kanto after all.