Pokémon Pokopia appears to take place in a post‑apocalyptic Kanto

Before release, players noted dilapidated buildings that look like Pokémon Centers, an absence of people, and Professor Tangela acting surprised to see a human. Now that Pokopia is out, the mystery has an answer.

The game suggests Kanto is post‑apocalyptic, but not because of a mass extinction, zombies, or a plague. Notes found in the game describe a Pokémon Conservation Project: humanity stored the world’s Pokémon in a massive computer system—similar to the storage players use in the main games—while people took refuge in space. Some humans later returned to survey the environment and maintain that system.

All of this is tied to “weather disturbances,” though the cause remains unclear. It’s a darker turn for Pokémon lore, and it confirms many fan theories that circulated before the game’s release.

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