Pokémon GO was the most downloaded app in the App Store in 2016, which probably does not surprise most. But why does everyone actually find Pokémon so great?
Apple recently announced that Pokémon GO had been the most downloaded app in the App Store in 2016. Pokémon GO was already downloaded over 75 million times on the day of its release and even more downloads followed. This information probably does not surprise many, as the streets were completely crowded in the summer of 2016 with diligent trainers hunting for the pocket monsters.
Since then, there have been many reports on why Pokémon GO became such a global hit. Even the president of Pokémon spoke about the Pokémon Academy and explained it with four reasons. In his statement, he mentions that Pokémon is a multigenerational hit and evokes nostalgia.
Why have we liked pocket monsters for almost over 20 years?
Pokémon has always offered a wide variety
Pokémon GO included the first generation of Pokémon at release, which appeared in 1996 with Pokémon Red and Blue. At that time, there were still 151 Pokémon, which have now been expanded to 802 Pokémon. This made it easy to find a Pokémon one was immediately fond of and would love to have as a companion by one’s side.
This wide selection of Pokémon made the game diverse from the beginning, as every trainer could assemble their team as they wanted. Niantic added the first Pokémon of the second generation to Pokémon GO in December.
Collecting and trading Pokémon
According to psychologists, the desire to collect things is deeply rooted in human psychology. Pokémon gained prominence with the slogan “Catch them all!” and stimulated this collecting instinct in players. To catch all the Pokémon, players had to trade with other players even in the first generation.
Not all Pokémon of each generation were ever available in the different editions. Back then, it was done via a Game Boy link cable, which compelled players to go outside and connect with other players. This encouraged trainers to discuss Pokémon with others and share their common hobby.
Pokémon has always been present in various media
Pokémon has not only captivated Game Boy fans but has also been promoted through other media.
There are Pokémon as anime, manga, toys, on clothing, as games on the Game Boy, various consoles, as a card game, and since last year also on smartphones. This has allowed Pokémon to appeal to a broad audience and thus ingrained itself in the minds of many children and of course also adults.
Pokémon has never been gone
Pokémon has never really been gone. The boom from the nineties may have waned for a while, but the games and other franchise continued to sell highly successfully for many years. With each new generation, Pokémon has also produced a new generation of aspiring trainers.
Pokémon has never stagnated
Even though Pokémon has remained true to its original concepts of “collecting, trading, battling,” it has continuously evolved. With the expansion of the Pokédex, it was never boring to collect Pokémon. Nintendo also continually reinvented the attacks and types of pocket monsters. New concepts like “Mega Evolutions” also found their way into the game. There were always small and larger changes with each generation, providing enough variety in the games.
That is probably why Nintendo decided to release Pokémon GO for smartphones. It fits the times.
Leya says: These are the reasons for me why Pokémon was already a highlight before Pokémon GO even existed. It is no surprise that Pokémon GO became the most downloaded app in 2016 and an overnight mega success. However, Pokémon has already come a long way and will probably not stop evolving anytime soon, hopefully bringing joy to many generations to come.
What are your reasons for why Pokémon is generally so successful? By the way, I am currently still occupied with Pokémon Moon.
