Pokemon GO Revenue Jumps Amid Coronavirus Pandemic
Pokemon GO revenue spikes amid the COVID-19 pandemic despite events being canceled and players being unable to go out and socialize.
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As the novel coronavirus leads to more game players staying home, it might be surprising to hear that social game Pokemon GO is discovering newfound success. Pokemon GO typically relies on players exploring the real world, hanging out with friends, and participating in large raid groups. Now, instead, it seems that isolated Pokemon GO players are finding new ways to enjoy the game. A report of the game’s revenue found that Pokemon GO’s past week is the best it had in 2020.
Based on data from Sensor Tower, Pokemon GO set a peak for revenue the week of March 16 by a significant margin. It brought in $23 million for the week, over $6 million more than the week prior. The previous high for 2020 came the week of February 3, but even that only reached $17 million. The striking rise can only really be attributed to one thing, and that’s the increase in families across the world out of work and school and isolated at home.
Part of Pokemon GO’s surge in success can be directly attributed to developer Niantic’s own actions, of course. The developer said in recent weeks that it’s “prioritizing updates to Pokemon GO features and experiences that can be enjoyed in individual settings.” This includes Pokemon spawn rates more localized to players’ homes so they don’t have to go out, eggs that hatch twice as fast, and discounts on items like incense packs.
Pokemon GO remains a social-focused game at its heart, unfortunately. That’s why Niantic is also doing what it can to discourage social gatherings based around Pokemon GO. It’s already canceled its planned Abra Community Day, all Safari Zone events, and certain Legendary Raids.
Some fans are predicting that Niantic will soon cancel all Pokemon GO raids, period. Raids require players to gather in order to win, in most circumstances. If Pokemon GO doesn’t cancel raids, it’s bound to be criticized for it. In fact, it’s already receiving criticism for it.
Some questioned whether the COVID-19 might be a worst-case scenario for Pokemon GO. Without players being able to go out, they might find alternative games to play that don’t require socialization. It seems the opposite is true, however. While Pokemon GO may not be able to be played to its fullest, the amount of people at home with free time on their hands is working out in Pokemon GO’s favor.
Pokemon GO is available now on iOS and Android devices.
Source: VentureBeat
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