As the novel coronavirus leads to more game players staying home, it might be surprising to hear that social gamePokemon GOis discovering newfound success.Pokemon GOtypically relies on players exploring the real world, hanging out with friends, and participating in large raid groups. Now, instead, it seems that isolatedPokemon GOplayers are finding new ways to enjoy the game. A report of the game’s revenue found thatPokemon GO’s past week is the best it had in 2020.
Based on data from Sensor Tower,Pokemon GOset a peak for revenuethe 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.
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Part ofPokemon GO’s surge in success can be directly attributed to developerNiantic’s own actions, of course. The developer said in recent weeks that it’s “prioritizing updates toPokemon GOfeatures 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 GOremains a social-focused game at its heart, unfortunately. That’s why Niantic is also doing what it can to discourage social gatherings based aroundPokemon 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 sooncancel allPokemon GOraids, period. Raids require players to gather in order to win, in most circumstances. IfPokemon GOdoesn’t cancel raids, it’s bound to be criticized for it. In fact, it’s already receiving criticism for it.
Some questioned whether theCOVID-19 might be a worst-case scenario forPokemon 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. WhilePokemon GOmay not be able to be played to its fullest, the amount of people at home with free time on their hands is working out inPokemon GO’s favor.
Pokemon GOis available now on iOS and Android devices.
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