Pokémon GO breaks $1 billion in the first 10 months of 2020, surpassing the billion dollar mark in annual earnings for the first time ever.
Mobile gaming juggernaut Pokémon GO has somehow managed to improve on its already incredible level of success, recording over $1 billion in revenue in the first 10 months of 2020, setting a new franchise record for annual sales. Pokémon GO, from developer Niantic, has been a mainstay of mobile gaming since it released in July 2016, and has enjoyed being one of the most popular and profitable titles ever since, becoming large enough globally to host annual fan festivals while continuing growth in virtually every year of its existence save one.
Still, many believe even Pokémon GO would take a hit from the state of gaming – and the world at large – in 2020, which saw many people stuck at home for long periods of time. As Pokémon GO is modeled after other alternate reality games (ARGs), much of its appeal lies within its ability to get people to go outside, interact with the world around them and explore location-based features. Niantic quickly reshuffled its plans, however, and began implementing many stay-at-home elements to Pokémon GO to make sure it both kept its players safe and gave them the game they love in a difficult time. With a player base that remains passionate and a multitude of stay-at-home features in Pokémon GO for 2020, the game’s popularity hasn’t waned.
A report from Sensor Tower broke down Pokémon GO revenue in 2020, showcasing an absurd $1 billion in just 10 months of 2020 – and the holiday season just around the corner, which could inflate spending even more. According to the report, players have spent 11 percent more this year than they did throughout all of 2019, and 30 percent more than the first 10 months of 2019. For context, that makes Pokémon GO only the third highest mobile game in spending globally (outside of third-party stores) behind PUBG Mobile and Honor of Kings. Still, it’s a notable feat for a game this advanced in years, especially one that seemed like it would be hit harder by 2020’s unique set of challenges than many other games.
Pokemon go animation week 2020
A lot of credit has to be given to how Niantic handled the situation. Rather than try to get by with features tailored for outdoors play, the developer helped turn Pokémon GO into something that could be enjoyed from the home, and the extra effort to adapt to the year played a huge role in the game’s current financial success. While it’s unlikely the install base would’ve shrunk dramatically – the game has been around since 2016 and its player spending is still quite high, indicating a very invested group of players – it certainly wouldn’t have recorded record profits without those changes from Niantic.
With two more months to go, Pokémon GO is set to smash its previous yearly revenue record. There’s also something of a comfort in knowing that, no matter what the world throws at it, one of mobile gaming’s most enduring and beloved properties will continue to perform as consumers expect. Mobile gaming is clearly still thriving in a year that tested its appeal, and it’s very likely that big-name developers are paying close attention to that fact, with even newcomers like Genshin Impact becoming phenomena quite quickly.
Source: Screen Rants
