So Pokemon Go is a thing. It's such a big thing that the servers are overloaded, people in un-recognised regions and people on non-supported platforms are trying workarounds in order to play the game!
Not only is the game an unqualified success in terms of user numbers, news coverage, IP capitalisation and implementation but part-owner of the brand, Nintendo, has seen its stock shoot up in the wake of the game's release.
For me this isn't a particularly surprising result - I mean, Pokemon is a multi-generational IP that has had strong societal mindshare and very strong repeat user support; The developers who made the game have already proven the technology through Ingress (which works on mobile phones) and, finally, the fact that the game is more inclusive and open by being an AR implementation is the coup de grâce - the trifecta of perfection.
If anything, I think Nintendo, Niantic and co. have been too reserved on the release of Pokemon Go and I think that, aside from having microtransactions (which seems to be working really well for them!) they could have also charged a small fee to purchase the app in the first place (maybe $2-5) - so strong is the Pokemon fan base that they would have generated the word-of-mouth that it has seen anyway.
I've long been (and I hate to use this word but it fits in this instance) 'bullish' about AR in comparison to VR and this is, for me, further proof that AR will only go from strength to strength. There are so many more implementations and opportunities out there for AR in comparison to VR that I just can't see the ground swell of support (both user and hardware numbers) for it to really get off the ground.
I can see many more Pokemon Gos in the future of AR. I can't see a Pokemon Go in VR's future.
No comments:
Post a Comment