For a title that sells itself on promoting active adventuring out in the real world, you’d be forgiven for thinking 2020 was rough for Pokémon Go.
For the better part of a year, most of us have been subject to strict government regulations in order to curb the spread of COVID-19, with social distancing, in particular, being practiced on a global scale. That being the case, the mobile game’s nature of encouraging players to congregate at designated PokéStops and Gyms has, for all intents and purposes, been made impossible.
Doing what it could in the worldwide effort to prevent people’s exposure to the virus, developer Niantic introduced a series of changes over the summer months, including the ability to participate in raids remotely and providing easier access to resources/daily quests. And according to analyst website SuperData, those initiatives have proven to be wildly successful in retaining healthy player numbers during the pandemic.
In terms of overall performance compared with its peers in the lucrative market, Pokémon Go ranked 5th overall in free-to-play charts across iOS and Android, raking in a whopping $1.92 billion over the last 12 months. SuperData attributes this somewhat surprising figure to Niantic’s aforementioned swift response to social restrictions as well as a series of successful events, including Go Fest, which took place completely digitally over the course of several days.
The Gotta Catch ‘Em All craze was surpassed in financial performance by Honor of Kings, Peacekeeper Elite, Roblox and Free Fire, meaning it sailed past other notable competition, including League of Legends: Wild Rift and Fortnite. Can Pokémon Go achieve a repeat performance (or better) in 2021, though? Let us know what you think in the usual place below!