Pokemon’s New App: Reviving Nostalgia, Breaking Records

• Pokemon’s new mobile app, Pokemon Trading Card Game Pocket, has been downloaded over 60 million times since its release, generating $180 million in revenue.
• The game, developed by The Pokemon Company and Creatures Inc, is a digital adaptation of the popular collectible card game.
• The success of the app has led to a resurgence in the sale of physical Pokemon cards, demonstrating the enduring appeal of the franchise.
• The game’s success highlights the potential of digital platforms to revitalize traditional forms of entertainment while staying true to their roots.

The world of gaming has been set ablaze with the resurgence of a beloved franchise. Pokemon, the iconic Nintendo-owned brand, has made a triumphant return with a new mobile game app that has taken the globe by storm. Since its release on October 30, the app has been downloaded over 60 million times, generating an estimated revenue of $180 million. This impressive feat has been achieved in just six weeks, marking one of the strongest performances of any mobile game of all time.

The new app, Pokemon Trading Card Game Pocket, is a digital adaptation of the collectible card game that has been a staple in schoolyards since the late 1990s. Developed by The Pokemon Company, a subsidiary of Nintendo, and the Japanese games studio Creatures Inc, the game ingeniously combines the thrill of opening boosters or sealed card packs, with the excitement of collecting creatures and engaging in online battles.

The success of Pokemon TCG Pocket is not an isolated phenomenon. It follows in the footsteps of another title from the Pokemon franchise, Pokemon Go, which was a global sensation in 2016. Pokemon Go generated over $200 million in its first month, driving millions of players outdoors to hunt for virtual creatures that appeared on their mobile phone screens.

Pokemon’s Offline Impact

The resurgence of Pokemon is not confined to the digital realm. The renewed interest in Pikachu and his fellow characters has spilled over into the offline world, leading to a surge in sales of physical cards. The game, once a staple of schoolyard entertainment, is back in fashion among children. This trend underscores the enduring appeal of the Pokemon brand and its ability to adapt to changing times while staying true to its roots.

The concept of collectible trading cards, popularised in the 1990s, has been adapted into many video games over the years. From Gwent in The Witcher III to Hearthstone from the Warcraft universe, card games have carved out a special place in the hearts of gamers. Pokemon TCG Pocket has successfully tapped into this trend, bringing the card pack opening and playing experience to the digital platform.

The game’s appeal lies in its faithful replication of the physical card game experience. As Simon Carless, founder of the analyst firm GameDiscoverCo, puts it, It’s actually a very unchanged experience compared to the physical card game — which was smart, and that’s why people love it. This sentiment is echoed by players who have been sharing videos of themselves unveiling new cards or participating in tournaments on social media, with the hashtag #PokemonTCG amassing over 1.5 million posts on TikTok.

The Evolution of Pokemon Gaming

The Pokemon trading card universe has a rich history of video game adaptations. A Game Boy title was released in Europe in 2000, followed by another for PCs in the early 2010s. While Pokemon TCG Pocket is free to download, players are encouraged to spend money in-app to acquire more cards. This strategy has proven successful, with players like Sacha Bernard, a 33-year-old teacher from the Paris suburb Creteil, admitting to spending around 70 euros since the game’s launch. Drawn in by nostalgia for the characters and the short and fast gameplay sessions, Bernard’s experience reflects the game’s ability to captivate both new and returning players.

The success of Pokemon TCG Pocket is a testament to the enduring appeal of the Pokemon franchise and the power of nostalgia. It also highlights the potential of digital platforms to breathe new life into traditional forms of entertainment. As the world continues to embrace digital technology, it will be interesting to see how other beloved franchises adapt and evolve to meet the changing demands of their audiences.