26 Mar 2020
It looks like Plague Inc. isn’t the only one who can benefit from a global pandemic. Niantic’s iconic open-world AR game Pokemon GO – a game that requires people to go outside to catch Pokemon and visit real-world locations – has seen its weekly revenues increase by nearly $10 Million USD in the space of a week.
This is despite the fact that less people are going outside thanks to global lock-downs and people being encouraged (and/or forced) to stay indoors. Our good friends at Sensor Tower have posted a graphic that shows the game’s weekly earnings for 2020 up to the week commencing March 16th (so up till last Sunday, basically).
As you can see, while there has been some minor fluctuations (W/C Feb 3rd seemed like a good week), things really took off between March 16th – March 22nd, where revenue increased around 67% compared to the previous week.
Where Plague Inc’s sales increase were almost coincidental – this was a game about spreading viruses amidst a global viral pandemic – Niantic have been especially smart at adapting their business model to suit their player bases immediate needs.
Firstly, they’ve changed a lot of the ways spawns work, meaning that a lot more Pokemon were catchable from the confines of your home. Things like the time needed to hatch eggs as well were also significantly shortened, meaning that those that could get outside for even a little bit could progress in a meaningful way.
They also did a lot of experimentation with various monetisation methods – lots of sales and discounts, which accounted for certain items not being as relevant in a period where movement is tricky, but also taking into account a lot of people are losing their jobs.
Just goes to show you that with the right attitude and imagination, you can still keep your game relevant amidst a global crisis (and not be a dick about it).