Hundreds of Pokémon Go players gathered in New York’s Times Square on Thursday to battle a giant Mewtwo – a reference to the game’s original trailer published over a decade ago. The event marked the 10th anniversary of a mobile app that has been downloaded more than a billion times across iOS and Android, with millions still logging on each day.
Released in 2016, Pokémon Go quickly became one of the biggest mobile game launches in history. Using GPS and augmented reality, it overlays digital creatures onto a live view of the real world through a smartphone’s camera, making them appear to stand in front of the player. The technology sparked a craze that saw people flock to parks, waterfronts and shopping malls in search of virtual monsters.
“Pokémon Go celebrates 10 years with over a billion downloads and millions still playing daily.”
“By allowing you to take your mobile phone out into the world to discover virtual creatures, Pokémon Go helped realise the millennial dream of becoming a Pokémon Trainer,” said Matthew Reynolds, editor of Pokémon news website One More Catch.
Michael Steranka, vice president of product at the game’s publisher Scopely, says the experience has always been about bringing people together. “Pokémon Go will always start with community – we think we’re only scratching the surface here,” he said. “We often receive wedding invites from players who met through Pokémon Go… because it’s been such an integral part of their relationship.”
The game’s connection with players has endured. Scopely has hosted major live events in more than 60 countries, averaging more than 400,000 attendees a year since the first Go Fest in 2017. The company estimates players have explored over 100 billion kilometres while playing Pokémon Go – roughly 334 round trips between the Earth and the Sun.
UK content creator j0beats runs one of Twitch’s biggest channels dedicated to the game and regularly travels to events like the one in New York to meet fellow players. “People always think it’s crazy that you travel all over just to catch some pixels,” she laughed.
As Pokémon Go enters its second decade, Steranka’s words hint at what may come next: “We think we’re only scratching the surface here.” For the millions still playing, the hunt continues.