2016 has been a major year for the Pokémon franchise, so far this year, the gaming industry has celebrated 20 years of the brand. With special edition products in the TCG, all the way to the launch of Pokémon Go, which sparked a revolution. Just in case you are unaware, Pokémon Go is the most downloaded app to date, blending our world with that of Pokémon. So, what drives the game’s success?
Augmented Reality
Pokémon Go has been in development for a number of years, working with technology called ‘Augmented Reality’, essentially producing digital overlays on top of what we can already see. The success story here is the timing of the game, the use of augmented reality has rarely been done well, which meant that come the game’s launch, it has sparked a revolution – particularly in the apps market.
This is also linked in with the heritage associated with the Pokémon brand. When the app launched, it provided a highly immersive experience, attracting both new and old fans of the original games. The combination of a strong brand and new technology, has brought our favourite pocket monsters into our living rooms and just about anywhere we go. This isn’t just a revolutionary app, it’s a revolution for the industry.
Gamers Are Heading Outside
It has forever been a harsh stereotype that those involved with games barely get to see the light. Parents are forever concerned of the social implications of gaming and that today’s generation of children are reluctant to go outside. Pokémon Go however, has addressed these issues, the game links progression and going outside together seamlessly.
People who are out and about have the chance to catch much more than those who are stuck inside, also with concepts such as egg hatching, exercise is subconsciously encouraged. So, what does this mean for the game’s success? The answer is a unique and ethical game which is socially accepted by pretty much all demographics.
Great Marketing Tool
As well as being a source of recreation, Pokémon Go has proved to be a great source of income for many businesses. The game is an effective tool for marketing, drawing in customers and providing benefits to them in the process. Two case studies spring to mind, one being, restaurants paying to get Pokémon to spawn on their premises, drawing in customers and encouraging spending.
The second, being shops offering discounts to players depending on what team they are on in the app. The success story here, creating more revenue to further develop the game and encouraging its use as an effective business tool as well as its default purpose, for gaming.
What’s Next for Pokemon Go?
If you are familiar with the history of the Pokémon game series, then you’ll most likely be awaiting the addition of more creatures to Pokémon Go. Currently there are 151 Pokémon in the game, named ‘generation 1’ and currently there are six more generations to come once the next games launch later this year.
This essentially ensures the future of the game, if a new generation of Pokémon were introduced every six months for example, then that sets out the future of the game for the next three years. The success of the game here is that it will always be kept interesting and fresh by developers through updates. The inclusion of new generations will appeal to more people and keep the app immersive for the foreseeable future. Alongside this, we already know future updates are coming, such as trading and individual battling.
To conclude, there are multiple factors driving the success of Pokémon Go. Most notably, it is the ability of the game to provide a unique experience which serves multiple purposes. It possesses the ability to appeal to the child within every man and woman and serve as a unique tool for business strategy. With the future of the app looking promising, Pokémon Go has cemented itself as a giant in the industry.