A couple years ago, Pokémon GO took the world by storm when it launched in the summer, shattering records left and right and becoming that game that everyone was playing. In the months and years since, player engagement has understandably gone down to much more usual levels, but Niantic has been working tirelessly all that time to constantly keep the game updated with new features and tweaks. Now, a market research firm has come out saying that users for the game have spiked dramatically in recent times, almost matching the original numbers.
Though it won’t divulge specific numbers, SuperData reports that Pokémon GO enjoyed the highest active user count over the month of May since its initial debut in July of 2016. The game earned $104 million in May, a 174 percent increase from the May of 2017. This jump is likely due in no small part to the start of summer, but the announcement of Pokémon Let’s Go, Pikachu! and Let’s Go, Eevee! probably had something to do with the renewed interest. Perhaps the launch of the games in November will kick off a second wind for the augmented reality app.
What do you think? Did you come back into the fold in May? How do you think the games in November will affect Pokémon GO? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
[source venturebeat.com]
Comments 51
Wait Pokemon Go was 2016 already? I thought it was last year... time needs to slow down.
It honestly seems kind of odd that the number of players started to peak again that month, especially considering nothing too noteworthy to the average former player happened in May.
My Android can't play this game for some reason (might be the keyboard plug in for it. )
yet it can play other nintendo products (Pocket Camp, Heroes, and Super Mario Run)
I started playing again in May for the first time in over 18 months due to the Pokemon Lets Go games and the connectivity between them and I've had more fun with it now than I ever did back then
Guilty of booting it back up again, curious to see exactly how it augments the LG games!
Outside of the winter months when it's hard to play in Ohio, been playing a ton since day 2 with my son. He still loves it. Still have lots of fun, tons of people playing around me. Best Nintendo game of the last 5 years, bar none.
I also started playing again in May
I Want to continue with this game, but I need a smartphone that don't have problem with use of the external memory (SD)...
I was playing in Kyoto during the last community day event about 2 weeks ago. And it was indeed, just like launch. People all over the city visibly playing it regularly. And all ages. I saw kids and parents playing together, students elementary through college age, adults, couples playing together and even elderly people, yes people I'd estimate to be in their mid or late 60s playing it.
If you, like me, quit over a year ago, I highly encourage you to give it another try. The game has received a plethora of updates that really breathe new life into it. I only started playing again about 2 months ago, but I hadn't played since before gen 2 Pokemon were added and gen 3 Pokemon are old news in the game now. We even have some Alolan forms popping up.
@Aozz101x What do you mean by "can't", you cannot even download it? It runs poorly?
Now they just need an actual battle system and PvP battles. The current "battle" mechanics still are the main reason Pokemon Go remains a non-starter for me.
It doesn't even make sense, considering how mobile-friendly the battle-system of the main games is. Even if they streamlined the movepool, it has to be less intensive on both the phones hardware and bandwidth than spamming touch controls.
@Heavyarms55 I can download it. the problem is there an issue with the device's camera for it to able play. (may have something to do with the device plug in keyboard the comes with it) i can get into menu just fine otherwise.
I'll will try to see if i can play it again, without the keyboard plugin. if not, then the game may no be fully supportive on my device.
@Regpuppy the current battle system is a necessity for a mobile game. Battles need to be swift and to the point. IGOUGO over 8 battles to knock down a Gym would take half an hour!
@XCWarrior my 2 kids and I have logged prob 500 hours in botw, 300 in mario odyssey, 300 in mk8. One of my kids played a bit of go back then but lost interest. I think my youngest is going to like the let’s go game, so maybe. But to say it’s the best Nintendo game in years, I’d have to argue that.
Honorable mentions splatoon and arms, both get lots of play time.
@RadioHedgeFund Is it? I firmly disagree. Because I've participated in a raid for my Nephew before, as well as having seen a lot of them, and it's hardly faster than it would take my to fight an NPC in most of the games.
The only thing that would need to change for Pokemon Go is for it to be simplified/streamlined, with a short turn timer to keep people from stalling out the collective raid timer. As for PvP, there's no reason it can't work.
All this aside, if it doesn't change, I lose nothing. My point was that this game's battle mechanics are not engaging on any level.
tbh, I haven't played this game since it's release back in 2016.. until like a week ago. Partially due to the upcoming Pokemon game, but also got a phone with a better battery. It's actually kind of fun. whowouldathunkit
But Pokemon Go is dead!! I see no one playing it anymore.
/s
In all seriousness, this is the reason why Nintendo is starting to invest so much in mobile. Nintendo earned ~$350 million from their mobile software revenue + royalties during their 2017 fiscal year. The 2 year-old Pokemon Go earned more than a quarter of that figure in a single month.
@Deku-Scrub they announced two new pokemon games for the switch that have data transfer with pokemon go, that's it. I never played it before and i know lots of others that haven't too but that now are.
@Aozz101x I can think of two possible solutions, first, go into your devices app permissions list and make sure the game is allowed to use the camera - you might have to manually allow it, depending on your security settings. The second is to play without the camera, with AR mode turned off.
Pokémon GO is a lot of fun. I missed the hype in 2016 because I went on vacation, so I never really got to played until a few months ago. There are a lot of updates and the most recent one is really good. The only thing I don't like is how the coin system works, the personalisation options and how gyms / raids work.
Summer has just begun! Bodes really well for Let's Go!
I was considering joining in for the purpose of having a collection ready for Let's Go Pikachu, even though I don't even know if I'm going to buy it!
I want to play again, but I can't even get the game running. It just loads the bar and then crashes out, on an iPhone X (and yeah, tried deleting and reinstalling etc)
Tempted to jump back in again
Yeah, I jumped back in when Let's Go! was announced. I want to make use of that Safari Zone replacement this fall.
@slinkyjynx That really sucks. I've got an iPhone X too and I get stuck in log-in hell a lot, but usually it gives me the option to log-out and then reenter my username and password and it works just fine at that point. I'm sorry you're having issues! :/
Im, loving GO these days.
I was never a genwunner so it never grabbed but when I learned of Lets Go integration; I didnt wanna miss out on any potential interactivity.
Also; GO Park being a modern Pal Park isa nice bonus!
I am excited to play the latter portion of the quest with Alolan Forms! And the mixing in of previously unavailable Dark, Steel and Fairy types will mix things up nicely.
@marandahir SAME on an X and almost have to re-login every time I launch the app. Nuisance but I still do it hahah
This definitely seems at least a partial result of Let's Go. Next up we'll probably see Let's Go outsell Sun/Moon at some point, Let's Go break launch window records set by Sun/Moon and Switch hardware sales increase over this holiday season.
@Grumblevolcano Yes, I totally expect the Let’s Go games to far exceed even total sales of Sun/Moon/USun/Umoon combined. The relaxing atmosphere set by Pokémon GO combined with main series elements will appeal a vast audience.
@Heavyarms55 ok, i will try thoese steps and see if that fixes it later, thanks for your help!
I'll probably redownload it when Let's Go comes out.
I started playing again, my fatigue of the game turned out to be long gone. And with a year's worth of new Pokemon and features, I'm sure I'll be playing a ton more this summer.
@Deku-Scrub is because of Pokemon Let's Go I bet.
My friend code is 0265 4611 1539 if anyone wants to add it, I've been playing more lately since the updates looking forward to Lets Go..
And June is clearly beating May. I’ve been seeing Pokémon Go players everywhere every day since the friend list update last week.
Huge groups of them, just like old times. Still can’t get my wife to play, but we went for a good long walk last night, haha.
@Heavyarms55 I went to Japan last year, and Kyoto was such an awesome city. Aaahhh, I wanna go back. Haha.
@JJ286 @YANDMAN Even if that is the case, it seems weird that they would reach levels of people playing that have been the closest to launch levels since, well, launch.
@Deku-Scrub whats weird to me is seeing Nintendo fans doubt the power of a Pokemon game on Switch. Pokemon is the biggest franchise ever, Switch is hot; Pokemon Let's Go will sell like hotcakes and it will push Switch systems.
@Deku-Scrub Not odd at all, millions of people liek me who couldn't be bothered are now bothered. Pretty simple really.
@JJ286 I completely agree, Let's Go is definitely going to be an insane powerhouse for Nintendo and Game Freak.
@YANDMAN If that is really the case, alright then. I just am fascinated by the fact that this many people actually are somewhat interested with Let's Go, and on top of it the connectivity between Let's Go and Go.
@Deku-Scrub it got warmer. The Let’s Go Games were announced to have interactivity.
Perfect storm for a comeback.
@Regpuppy
Think of move
use move
watch flashy animation sequence
enemy picks move
flashy animation sequence
think of move
vs
mash screen
Really?
@RadioHedgeFund
>How long does it really take to think of a move?
>Cut out flashy animation sequence
>Raid enemy is CPU, so takes no time to "think"
>Remove flashy animation, a lot of players turn it off in the main game anyway.
>Seriously, it doesn't take long to pick, unless you're indecisive.
The biggest time drain in the games was always the move animations. Cut those out and the battles go pretty fast. Keep in mind that the original battle mechanics were designed on a portable system as well.
For Pokemon Go, you could further streamline the movepool and keep learned moves down to 2 or 3, just to cut down on confusion from the casual crowd.
Then again, this is just my opinion. Not like it'll happen anyway. I just feel the battles in this game aren't engaging at all.
@JJ286 , I read an article yesterday that states Pokemon is the biggest and most successful franchise ever .
If anyone is interested in friends codes feel free to add this code 3958 1348 6053 , starting playing more myself lately in prep for the Switch's release of Pokemon Lets Go.
@Regpuppy
I can't imagine playing without move animations. The game is so clunky and inelegant without them. Totally breaks the immersion of the game.
That said, I'm fine with a catching VS trainer battling dichotomy, with different mechanics involved in each. It felt weird at first in GO, but I actually really like it.
Basically the whole game is a Safari Zone now (hence why they can safely leave Kanto's Safari Zone as a Pal Park-esque area like it was in Gen IV for GO transfers). That's fine with me. The fun part of exploring the world is even more fun with wild Pokémon flying around, crawling in the grass, running through the hills. It's like the shadows of flying Pokémon and burrowing Pokémon underfoot and rustling bushes with Pokémon jumping out of them – only even more immersive.
It also makes catching Pokémon a pure collecting/exploring/discovering experience, while leaving the combat strategies to the trainers. Hopefully there's ways to rebattle trainers like a VS Seeker, or just more trainers in general to make up for the lack of wild Pokémon battles.
@imgrowinglegs I love living here. I am in Kyoto 2 or 3 times a month!
@Aozz101x I hope it helps!
@marandahir I am unsure if we're talking about the same thing here. I'm talking about raid and potential PvP battle mechanics in Pokemon Go, but it sounds like you're talking about Pokemon Let's Go Pikachu/Eevee.
@Donutman I have a 5 and 3 year old. They can't play those games, they can only watch me play the more complicated button games.
We've sunk 300+ hours into Pokemon GO, AND my 5 year old is getting tons of exercise thanks to it. And he knows the names of 200+ Pokemon.
Those other games are nice ( haven't played them all), but they are static experiences no different than any game you played 10-15 years ago.
It's all opinion of course, but Pokemon Go, just like Wii Sports, has brought a new wrinkle into gaming we haven't seen before. The other games are just sequels.
@Romeo-75 it's the most successful franchise ever. Btw, I just added you on PGo.
Not in Holland.
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