How Does Pokemon Go Make Money?

Pokémon Go has taken the world by storm over the past two years sending players out into streets in order to locate, catch and train their Pokémon. Remarkably, it had become one of the most downloaded and top grossing apps in the United States, Australia and New Zealand within week of it’s release back in 2016, according to the New York Times, and has a reported 147 million monthly active users as of May 2018.

The app has truly given us a glimpse into the future of augmented reality, and there’s no doubt that Pokémon Go is raking in dough for it’s developers and backers at an exponential rate, but what are the different ways that this free-to-play app makes money?

How Does It Make Money?

Pokémon Go uses a “freemium” business model and makes majority of its money through in-app purchases as well as through sponsored locations.

The game’s in-app purchases grant players the ability to purchase “virtual storage” for their Pokémon, gain additional Pokécoins, attract more Pokémon to their location for capture, or increase their XP level.

Companies can also pay to have Pokéstops or “gyms” pop-up near their location. According to Nate Swanner of Dice.com, sponsored locations include companies such as McDonald’s, Starbucks, and Sprint – earning Pokémon Go between $75-250 million.

Overall, the Los Angeles Times reports that the game had generated $1 billion in revenue by January 2017 (about $1.6 million dollars per day).

What Is Pokémon Go?

Pokémon Go is a mobile app developed by Niantic for iOS and Android which uses the latest technology in augmented reality, and is based on players actual location information. It is free-to-play, but supports in-app purchases for players to acquire additional game items.

How Do You Play Pokémon Go?

To start the game, the user must download the game to their mobile device and create their personalized avatar. The avatar will appear on the game map relative to the actual location of the player, and the hunt for Pokémon can begin.

In a GameStop review of Pokémon Go, it is noted that as players move within their real surroundings, their avatars move within the game’s map. Different species reside in different terrains based on the elements they represent – for example – Fire Pokémon are most often found in neighborhoods or dry climates, Water Pokémon are found near bodies of water and Bug Pokémon can be found near farmland, parks or playgrounds.

Watch This Video To Learn How To Play Pokémon Go

What Are The Strongest Pokémon?

According to the website The Top Tens and user votes, below is a list of  the (arguably) top ten strongest Pokémon:

1. Arceus
2. Mewtwo
3. Rayquaza
4. Mew
5. Giratina
6. Dialga
7. Kyurem
8. Lugia
9. Darkrai
10. Palkia

Read more about the strongest Pokémon here…

Is Pokémon Go Free?

Pokémon Go is available for free to download and initially play on both Google Play and the App Store – but there is the option to make in-app purchases to attract more Pokémon to your current location, obtain additional game funding (Pokécoins), or to boost your XP.