Introduction to Pokémon Go
Pokémon Go, an augmented reality (AR) side project from Nintendo and Niantic, unexpectedly became a mobile craze a yr ago. As it celebrates its first birthday, the query stays: did it herald the unstoppable rise of AR and mixed reality (MR), or was it only a fleeting trend that received excessive attention?
What is Pokémon Go?
Pokémon Go is a mobile game that overlays digital monsters onto the player’s own real-world neighborhoods, courtesy of Niantic’s clever GPS tech. Fans of the series could ‘Catch ’em All’ of their gardens, on the highway, in a graveyard, anywhere. By putting Pokémon into the true world, the sport provides an immersive and compelling experience that’s true to the series’ root – marking an unusual instance where a title’s exodus to mobile actually improved the gaming experience.
The Game’s Success
Having generated over $1.2bn in revenue globally since its launch last July, and notched 752m downloads, its performance would seem to have lived as much as the hype. The game’s success has been unprecedented, with many commentators praising its modern approach to gaming.
Impact on the Gaming Industry
John-Paul Burke, country manager UK & Ireland of leading mobile games company Gameloft, says that “Pokémon Go showed the world that mobile gaming needn’t be a purely online experience by seamlessly connecting gameplay with our on a regular basis lives”. By being sharable and sociable, it formed a community of its players. The game also made marketers and advertisers sit up and take mobile gaming seriously, with players being led in regards to the world by a mobile game, presenting vast opportunities for brands.
Commercial Opportunities
Compelling and addictive titles like Pokémon Go open the door to business opportunities. The game integrated real-life Starbucks and McDonald’s outlets as ‘Poke Stop’ locations, driving traffic to the stores – for a fee. Burke adds: "We know that if branded content is integrated into gameplay, and tailored to the player’s own interests, they’re generally completely happy to be served it. Mobile gaming specifically offers quite a few avenues for advertisers, be it branded mini-games or sponsored in-game events."
The Future of AR
Jon Wadelton, chief technology officer of the Foundry, a 3D effects company that creates AR, VR, and MR solutions, is somewhat more measured in his appraisal of the title’s true impact: “We were heralding it because the piece of augmented reality (AR) content that may help take the medium mainstream. Whilst we’re still awaiting more widespread adoption of AR technology, Pokémon Go showed us that there was huge consumer appetite – with thousands and thousands downloading the sport.” The success of Pokémon Go has shown artists, developers, and programmers that AR content can prove to be a riveting success, although whether it can be emulated anytime soon stays to be seen.
Marketing Opportunities
Brands starting from Manchester United to Ikea to FX to Burger King to the Gorillaz have all experimented with the medium, indicating just among the possible use cases. Snapchat and Facebook have rolled out respective AR lenses and features, each of that are still very early of their development. Pokémon Go has shown the medium could be popularized, easily accessed by consumers, and there are monetization options.
The Game’s Legacy
Daniel Harvey, chief creative officer of This Is Zone, said: "You can imagine Ash saying ‘Nothing gold can stay, Pikachu.’ Assuming you do not mind referencing Robert Frost or The Outsiders. A yr after Pokémon Go’s smash debut there is a fair little bit of reportage that implies this axiom stays true." However, despite the sport’s initial popularity declining, it still has 65m lively users per thirty days globally, which is a major number. The game has inspired mobile titles like Snatch, a real-world prize-stealing game, and has helped democratize augmented reality.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Pokémon Go has had a major impact on the gaming industry and has paved the way in which for the event of AR and MR technologies. While its initial popularity can have declined, the sport still has a big user base and has inspired other titles and types to experiment with the medium. As Niantic’s chief executive, John Hanke, laid out the sport’s product roadmap, it’s clear that Pokémon Go shouldn’t be going anywhere anytime soon and can proceed to wave the flag for AR while brands and developers master the event and distribution of content in the realm.
