Shelby Wallace
Graphic Designer
Earlier this summer Pokemon GO, a free-to-play location based augmented reality game, took the world by storm when it was released in the United States, New Zealand, and Australia.
In the month since the game’s debut, Pokemon GO (or “PoGo”) has made monumental revenue, broken five world records, and overall brought people together.
Basic gameplay is comprised of catching Pokemon to fill the Pokedex and battling the gyms for your team’s honor. The game uses a smart device’s location to determine what Pokemon appear, as well as where gyms and PokeStops are.
Lewis and Clark Community College students have access to two gyms and several PokeStops on the main campus in Godfrey, as well as a plentiful supply of Dratini, Magikarp, and several other highly desired Pokemon.
Zach Howard, a graphic design major at L&C said, “I had the game open while walking around campus to stop and collect PokeStops to get more items and I have found some Pokemon that I needed for the game’s Pokedex and some to help me level up faster.”
Beating Candy Crush’s revenue in the first month, PoGo has made approximately $200 million since its release, according to CNBC. If the game continues on the financial path it has been on, androidheadlines.com states that Pokemon GO “is likely to break records and earn $1 billion in revenue by the end of 2016.”
According to Guinness World Records, the game has broken these five records so far:
- Most revenue grossed by a mobile game in its first month
- Most downloaded mobile game in its first month
- Most international charts topped simultaneously for a mobile game in its first month (downloads)
- Most international charts topped simultaneously for a mobile game in its first month (revenue)
- Fastest time to gross $100 million by a mobile game.
With the fall semester in full swing, Pokemon GO is sure to be a popular activity among L&C students.
Deej Gausling, adjunct instructor of digital photography, states, “I’d like to think since L&C has two gyms and a nice amount of PokeStops, it might help attract people to our campus and maybe help boost sales in the cafes and vending machines and maybe help make more people aware of all of our credit and non-credit programs! Our campus is gorgeous and I think this summer more people came and enjoyed it that normally wouldn’t.”
With a Charmander nest close by at Glazebrook Park, and several gyms and PokeStops on campus, the game will provide a social and physical element to the college.
Regardless of a player’s age, gender, and activity level, the game allows players to get outside and explore, as well as allowing them to socially engage with others. This ground breaking mobile game will continue to break records and roll in the revenue while also bringing people of all backgrounds together.
For official information regarding PokemonGo please visit http://www.pokemongo.com/.
