Summary
Niantic is already thinking about the next decade ofPokemon GO, a senior company official has revealed. The executive also suggested that the recentPokemon GOupdates are just the beginning of what the studio has in store for the game in the run-up to its tenth anniversary.
Niantic’s seminal geolocation game quickly took the world by storm following its July 2016 release. And while its gameplay loop focused on real-world exploration may not seem inherently compatible with lockdowns, theglobal pandemic has actuallyPokemon GO’s revenueto new heights, possibly because Niantic was quick to adapt to it by providing fans with ways to continue pursuing the quest to catch ‘em all without moving too much.
Four years later, thehit mobile gameis now approaching its ninth anniversary, but the California-baseddeveloper is already thinking about its second decade. That’s according to Ed Wu, Niantic Senior Vice President ofPokemon GO, who said as much in a recent interview withEurogamer. Reflecting on thecurrent state of affairs, the executive who helped build out the game’s codebase from its earliest days revealed that the recentupdates aimed at revamping select aspects ofPokemon GOare just the beginning of the developer’s latest efforts to solidify the game’s long-term potential.
Ongoing Pokemon GO Refresh Is Meant To Befit Its ‘Next Decade’
“We’re putting a lot of investment into ensuring it’s a great game and has really firm foundations for the next ten years,” he explained. On that note, Wu revealed that Niantic is alreadythinking about the game’s tenth anniversaryand is aiming to meet it with “a refresh that’s befitting that next decade.” The biome background makeovers that are currently in testing are part of those modernization efforts, as is the muchmore polarizing revamp of thePokemon GOavatar system.
We’re putting a lot of investment into ensuring it’s a great game and has really firm foundations for the next ten years.
Reports of Declining Pokemon GO Revenues Are Incomplete, Niantic Says
Going back to the game’s present, Wu asserted that he “can confidently say the game is growing” right now. Some industry watchers might label this revelation as surprising, not least because of a number of recent reports suggesting thatPokemon GO’s revenue has been steadily decliningin the post-pandemic era. Yet Wu is saying thatthird-party trackers don’t have the full picture, pointing to the April 2023 launch of thegame’s web store as one major revenue contributorthat is exempt from mobile player spending reports.
When we see third-party reports on Pokémon Go [revenue] decreasing, I can say, very clearly, that they are wrong - Wu
Another thing it’sexempt from is paying a 33% cutof every purchase to Google or Apple, which is why it’s able to offerPokeCoins at reduced prices. Wu also pointed to the lateFebruary 2024 Sinnoh Tourevent as another example of the game’s strong current momentum, stating that the promo has resulted in the game’smost successful weekever “by many metrics.” And while the executive conceded that handling the game’s technical issues is still an ongoing process, he noted how Niantic has made major strides toward makingPokemon GOmore scalable in recent years, suggesting those inroads may help it avoid some types of problems moving forward.
WHERE TO PLAY
Now you may battle other Pokémon GO trainers online! Try the GO Battle League today. Join Trainers across the globe who are discovering Pokémon as they explore the world around them. Pokémon GO is the global gaming sensation that has been downloaded over 1 billion times and named “Best Mobile Game” by the Game Developers Choice Awards and “Best App of the Year” by TechCrunch
UNCOVER THE WORLD OF POKÉMON: Explore and discover Pokémon wherever you are! CATCH more Pokémon to complete your Pokédex! JOURNEY alongside your Buddy Pokémon to help make your Pokémon stronger and earn rewards! COMPETE in epic Gym battles and… TEAM UP and UNITE with other Trainers to catch powerful Pokémon during Raid Battles!It’s time to get moving—your real-life adventures await! Let’s GO
