Pokémon Go at one – catching ‘em all

In summer 2016, the game which had already smashed records in the US, became available to download in the UK. In the early stage of its launch, Pokémon Go was downloaded at a never before seen speed. It had more daily users than Twitter in the US in the week following its launch and attracted more engagement than Facebook. Igniyte reviews the highs and lows of the game and what its success means for legacy brands and mobile technologies.

Pokémon Go

Before looking at 365 days in Poké-land, it’s interesting to revise and review the history of the game. After all, this is the second generation of the Pokémon craze, following the Nintendo game and playing cards from the mid-to-late 1990s.

It’s this which gave the game a key strength, as millennial users have already gone ‘Poké mad’ once. The Japanese pocket monsters launched during their childhoods in card form and on Gameboy, a now obsolete games console.

In this most-millennium, interconnected world, Pokémon Go involves catching Pokémon characters in the real world. The game uses a combination of Google Maps data and augmented reality (AR). Players are able to see characters from the game appear in their homes, offices and schools through their smartphones.

Over the year, this feature has impacted the wider technological landscape and the uses of AR, with industry leaders noting Pokémon Go as a pioneering platform to driving successes with this technology on mobile devices.

Rise and Fall

After its launch last July, daily users and media coverage dropped rapidly with many asking simply what happened to Pokémon Go? As reported in News Australia, the app declined from generating $16m USD daily in August ’16 to pulling in $2m just two months later. This also saw a more dramatic reduction in downloads.

Many factors are at fault for this. There were crashes and a wealth of glitches, as servers struggled to cope with demand, as well as limited communication from manufacturers Niantic. Critics have speculated that the game received more attention than developers had ever imagined. Unable to satisfy the demand – either through communication of technical stability – many users quickly returned to the real world. Of course, it’s also a fair assessment that, after going viral, people became bored with the game after the media buzz died down – a feat King discovered with the decline of Candy Crush.

Success for Nintendo

Nintendo is a key stakeholder within the entire Pokémon franchise. Pokémon games are created, almost exclusively, for Nintendo’s hand-held games consoles and have been since their launch in 1996. Despite a decline in users, it cannot be denied that Pokémon Go put Nintendo back on the international map with. It is now a real contender in the games market with consumers.

This year, the company has successfully launched the Nintendo Switch console, it’s first since 2012. Buoyed on by the viral sensation, this is a rare reputation turnaround for the company which was facing a difficult and uncertain future not too long in the past. This shows the company has effective reputation management.

Ultimately, Pokémon Go works as a key case study for established brands in understanding their market. It highlights the importance of capturing the imagination – and nostalgia – of its core consumers.

In 12 months, the prospect of AR in the smartphone arena has been reignited in 12 months. Who will be next to cause a global ‘must-have’ explosion – and will we have to catch ‘em all??

About Igniyte

Igniyte works with small, national and international companies around the world to build positive and lasting online reputations. We use best practice approaches, including social media tactics and trends, to help businesses reach their full potential.