You only have to analyse the success of Pokémon Go to understand how the mobile gaming industry has experienced an explosion over recent years. With over 27 million downloads being made per day at its peak (around three weeks after the initial release) and around £16 million being raked in during a 24/7 period, there’s never been a game like it — but what’s next for the mobile industry?
Are people happy downloading staples such as Scrabble and Wink Bingo or are they looking for something even more brilliant than Pokémon Go?
Why Pokémon Go was such a success
Before we can discuss the future of the industry it’s helpful to assess why Pokémon Go was such a hit and work out if this mass hysteria could possibly transcend to another game in the near future.
Popular brand
Well, firstly, Pokémon Go was released by a brand that’s captivated the world since the early 1990s. A brand so powerful that fans across the world wait eagerly for what’s to come next spurred on by the past successes of toys, cards, games movies and more.
With this in mind, it’s clear that if big names get their act together and work hard to create an experience that’s second to none – the future of mobile gaming could grow bigger and bigger. And with Nintendo set to bring Super Mario Run to smartphones in time for Christmas it seems there’s a lot to look forward to in the upcoming months.
But it seems Nintendo aren’t actually planning to outshine Pokémon Go in terms of functionality, keeping Super Mario Run simple in a bid to attract both old and new gamers and upholding the true essence of what Mario is all about – navigating two-dimensional landscapes, jumping over obstacles and collecting coins.
Free to download
Another reason for Pokémon Go’s success is that you can download it for free. There’s no initial charge meaning that if you want in on the action you can do so without spending a penny – so what’s the catch? And how did Pokémon Go bring in such a large amount of cash? Well, this is all down to in-app purchases, which, when you’re knee-deep into a game become somewhat necessary – after all, you can’t get your hands on helpful accessories that help catch Pokémon without using the app’s in-game currency, PokéCoins.
So what’s the relevancy of this clever marketing and money-making strategy? Well, it just goes to show how much cash can be generated from the mobile industry. So long as the games are of a high standard, people will be willing to pay to unlock special features opening up a host of possibilities within the online gaming world.
Top-notch features
There’s no doubt about it, Pokémon Go highlighted the brilliance of augmented reality and movement with regards to online gaming, but as competitors take note and try to gain back their fans, it feels like we’re just seeing the tip of the iceberg.
Well-known brands surely aren’t going to sit back and let companies like Nintendo and developers Niantic steal the limelight with many already doing what they can to add a new dimension to their releases.
Conclusion
Mobile gaming is a relatively new concept and therefore the idea that it has already reached its peak is somewhat hard to believe – so watch this space and being a game lover I’d love to see this go far long.
