Pokemon Go Mini-FAQ
Mini-FAQ for friends asking about Pokemon Go.
What is it?
It’s a GPS-based smartphone game where you need to physically go to various locations in the real world to collect items and Pokemon.
Why is it interesting?
People are having fun exploring their neighborhood and collecting Pokemon while running into other players. They also have creative features like only being able to find water Pokemon near actual water fountains and lakes. One friend found a ghost Pokemon near a hospital.
What do you do with Pokemon?
Besides trying to complete your collection, you can go to public places in the real world called “Gyms” and battle other players using the Pokemon you’ve collected. You can also upgrade your Pokemon to become stronger.
Why is it everywhere now?
The Pokemon IP is very popular and this is one of Nintendo’s first smartphone games so that is helping. The main reason, however, is that the game is highly social because you run into players walking around the same physical locations as you. Additionally, the AR mode allows for unique and shareable screenshots.
Is it a fad?
After the initial novelty wears off, it’s possible that players could quickly lose interest unless the devs adapt and evolve the gameplay over time. This is similar to any other mobile game. We’re likely just at the start of this cycle, though.
Is it augmented reality (AR)?
Kind of, but the feature isn’t critical to the game. They use your phone’s camera and put an image of a Pokemon on top of the real world based on your location.
Who made it?
Nintendo and Niantic, the same company that built the game Ingress within Google. The company was spun out last year with the Alphabet restructure.
How does it make money?
They sell virtual items that are used to catch and upgrade your Pokemon and in-game character. The game is currently the #1 most downloaded and top grossing on the iOS app store in the US. That means it makes >$1.5M/day on iOS devices in just in the US.
