Pokémon Go might not be the absurdly popular social phenomenon it was back in 2016, but don’t let its apparent dip in popularity fool you. According to recent estimates of lifetime revenue, Niantic’s augmented reality app not only continues to rake in the cash at a dizzying rate, but currently sits comfortably in second place as the most financially successful mobile game.
To put those accolades into perspective, Sensor Tower’s latest report stipulates that Pokémon Go has made $2.65 billion in the three years since its release in North America, putting it ahead of competitors Clash Royale and Candy Crush Saga by a margin of more than $600 million.
Clash of Clans currently occupies first place with revenue of $3.15 billion, though it’s worth noting that, unlike its peers, Niantic’s Poké-themed spinoff is currently unavailable in a particularly crucial market – China. Regardless, in further breaking down the eye-watering statistics, Sensor Tower notes that players will have spent an average combined total of $2.4 million per day in order to account for the total revenue or $5 for each of its 500 million plus downloads.
By region, the US accounts for 35% of all transactions with Japan and Germany close behind with contributions of $779 and $159 million, respectively. Most interestingly, however, is the revelation that in the first half of 2019 alone, Pokémon Go grossed nearly $400 million worldwide, making for a year-over-year increase of 19%.
All in all, the news comes at a terrific time for both Niantic and Pokémon Go‘s millions-strong player base. Just last weekend, both parties celebrated the game’s official third birthday with a slew of special events. For the future and beyond, I expect those fortunes will continue, not least because of Game Freak’s upcoming Pokémon Sword and Shield. The Switch exclusives will allow the transfer of ‘Mons from Niantic’s mobile adventure to each version, though not without restrictions. See here for all the details.