Skip to main content

‘Pokémon Go’ catches 100M players, craze shows ‘little sign of losing steam’

It recently smashed the record for the most downloads in an app’s launch week. It quickly picked up more daily users than Facebook and Twitter. And now it’s just screamed past the 100 million mark for downloads across all platforms.

We are, of course, talking about the phenomenon that is Pokémon Go.

Recommended Videos

Mobile analytics firm App Annie said Monday that according to its data, the augmented reality app that’s been getting people off their butt and into the great outdoors has been downloaded more than 100 million times by Android and iOS users.

Considering it’s only been out since July 6, and is still to launch in many countries around the world, that’s pretty darn impressive. And remember Angry Birds, another massive smartphone hit from not so long ago? That took the best part of a year to hit 100 million downloads back in 2011. So make that double-impressive.

App Annie’s Sameer Singh said the Pokémon Go craze is “showing little sign of losing steam,” and is already earning Niantic, the San Francisco-based developer behind the hit game, more than $10 million a day via in-app purchases and other deals.

Singh notes that the game’s massive popularity has helped to introduce the concept of augmented reality (AR) – where digital content is overlaid onto the real world through a window such as a smartphone display – to a huge global audience, a development that before long is certain to encourage further creative uses of the technology in other new apps. Indeed, Singh described the game’s success as a “watershed moment” for AR.

Pokémon Go has also caught the attention of businesses, who’ve been using features of the game – including Lure Modules that attract Pokémon to a particular location – to bring more customers to their premises.

Despite everybody and their dog apparently playing the game, the intense usage hasn’t had an adverse affect on other apps’ revenue figures, Singh said, explaining that Pokémon Go‘s success “has not come at the expense of other mobile games or apps. Instead, it has opened up new engagement and revenue opportunities for the entire app ecosystem.”

Trevor Mogg
Contributing Editor
Not so many moons ago, Trevor moved from one tea-loving island nation that drives on the left (Britain) to another (Japan)…
How to get coins in Pokémon GO

As part of a free-to-play title, the digital currency known as PokéCoins make the Pokémon GO world spin. PokéCoins are used to buy additional Pokéballs, draw Pokémon to your location, and even change your character’s appearance. From buying them with real money, to grinding them for free, we’re going to show you how to get coins in Pokémon GO.

Recommended reading: 

Read more
The best Pokémon Go tips and tricks
razer go pokemon chat app pokemongo header

Pokémon Go became a cultural phenomenon in 2016 by giving everyone the chance to "catch 'em all." In augmented reality (AR), you wander around your city and neighborhood to find and catch as many virtual pocket monsters as possible.

Despite how simple the game mechanics seem, there are still ways to play the game well, and developer Niantic has introduced a lot of new features since the game's launch four years ago. Whether you have yet to begin amassing your collection or you are well on your way to filling out your Pokédex, this article will break down all the game's nuances and various ways to play.

Read more
All Silent Hill games in order, by release date and chronologically
A girl staring at a shrine.

Among the best horror games in video game history, the Silent Hill franchise might be the most iconic. Starting back on the PS1, this claustrophobic and psychological horror series stood apart from the rest with its dense fog and otherworldly monsters. Sadly, the franchise has had more lows than highs after the third entry, but it is making a strong comeback as of late. Now is the best time to immerse yourself in the dark world of Silent Hill, but where should you start? Unlike the Resident Evil games, which are very tied together, the lore and canon of Silent Hill is much harder to track. Make sure your radio is turned on and grab a pipe as I walk you through the entire Silent Hill series in release order and chronologically.

All Silent Hill games in release order

Read more