Pokémon Go’s Popularity Means Big Things for Apple

Nintendo became famous for making fun and challenging video games back in the 80s. Continuing their legacy, the company recently expanded their product portfolio a few months ago when they released their first iOS app, Miitomo. Now Nintendo has released their first “real” iOS game, Pokémon Go.

The game franchise started out in the early 90s with Pokémon Red and Blue for Gameboy. The game requires players to hunt around in the game-world, looking for creatures called Pokémon. The object of the game is to catch every single one, and to ultimately become the best Pokémon trainer by defeating all the champions at each Pokémon gym. It was a simple idea, sparking the interest of many kids and teenagers alike.

The social aspect of Pokémon is what made the game so fun. It was possible to battle and trade Pokémon with friends. It’s a tradition that Nintendo continued throughout the years and now with Pokémon Go, players actually have to get outside and look for Pokémon. What makes the game interesting is the use of augmented reality technology, which makes the Pokémon look like they appear in the real world.

The popularity of Pokémon has made Nintendo a lot of money over the years, but now Pokémon Go could top that. The game is not only great for Nintendo’s endeavor to make games outside of their gaming consoles, but it means big money for Apple as well. Daniel Eran Dilger from AppleInsider reported about the earning potential of Pokémon Go. He suggests the game will make more money for Apple than Nintendo. Nintendo is far from raking in all of the dough, as a matter of fact, four companies (Ninantic, The Pokémon Company, Nintendo, and Apple) get a cut of the profits, says Dilger.

Currently, the app has “more active users than Snapchat or WhatsApp, having rocketed to the top of the App Store charts at a record pace,” says Bloomberg. German Lopez from Vox adds, “It’s so popular that it’s on the verge of overtaking Twitter in terms of daily active users on Android.”

Nintendo’s foray into iOS and Android apps is good for business. Apple takes a cut of the profits from in-game purchases, and the success of Pokémon Go will probably be fantastic for both companies. Nintendo may want to design more games for iOS, and it should be no surprise that Apple will be extremely pleased about that.

What do you like most about Pokémon Go? Let us know in the comments below.