Introduction to Pokémon Go
Pokémon Go, an augmented reality (AR) side project from Nintendo and Niantic, became a mobile craze a 12 months ago. As it celebrates its first birthday, the query stays whether it heralded the unstoppable rise of AR and mixed reality (MR) or was only a fleeting phenomenon. 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. This immersive and compelling experience is true to the series’ roots and marks an instance where a title’s transition to mobile actually improved the gaming experience.
The Game’s Success
Having generated over $1.2 billion in revenue globally since its launch and notched 752 million downloads, Pokémon Go’s performance has lived as much as the hype. At the time of its release, commentators claimed that the title "paves the way in which for virtual experiences to thrive in the true world." Another urged critics dismissing the sport as a fad to be less cynical, emphasizing that it “helps people, families, businesses, and cities.” The "Pokémon Go Effect" was often mentioned by marketers keen to emulate its success.
Impact on Mobile Gaming and Marketing
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. Burke continues, "It also made marketers and advertisers sit up and take mobile gaming seriously. Players were literally being led in regards to the world by a mobile game. The opportunity for brands was vast and clearer than ever before." Compelling and addictive titles open the door to industrial opportunities, equivalent to integrating real-life Starbucks and McDonald’s outlets as ‘Poke Stop’ locations, driving traffic to the stores for a fee.
Augmented Reality and Its Future
Jon Wadelton, chief technology officer of the Foundry, a 3D effects company that creates AR, VR, and MR solutions, is measured in his appraisal of the title’s true impact. “We were heralding it because the piece of augmented reality (AR) content that might 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.” In the 12 months since its release, Wadelton claims that “the success of Pokémon Go has shown artists, developers, and programmers that AR content can prove to be a riveting success,” although whether Pokémon Go will likely be emulated anytime soon stays to be seen.
Marketing Opportunities and Legacy
Brands starting from Manchester United to Ikea to FX to Burger King to the Gorillaz have all experimented with the medium, indicating just a number of 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 that the medium may be popularized, easily accessed by consumers, and there are monetization options. Daniel Harvey, chief creative officer of This Is Zone, notes that despite some reports of a decline in user numbers, the sport still has 65 million lively users monthly globally, which is a major achievement.
Conclusion
Pokémon Go’s legacy is undeniable. It has inspired mobile titles like Snatch, a real-world prize-stealing game, and has helped democratize augmented reality. 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. With player vs player and trading features to come back, the sport will proceed to wave the flag for AR while brands and developers master the event and distribution of content in the realm. Pokémon Go’s impact on the gaming and marketing industries will likely be felt for years to come back, and its influence on the longer term of AR and MR will likely be significant.
