"Pokémon GO" a year later. What has remained of all this frenzy and why getting back into it is worth the diversions?
13.7.2017
Translation: machine translated
A year ago, it was impossible to go anywhere without running into people playing "Pokémon GO". Battery backup was all the rage and every shop with a Pokéstop had become a temporary hotspot. Now it's time to see where the pocket monsters stand.
Videos of people running around parks to catch special Pokémon are a thing of the past. Today, you rarely see anyone throwing Pokéballs at invisible monsters with their mobile phone. A year ago, things were very different. Wherever you went, people were huddled together, hunched over their smartphones, hooked up to battery backup.
"Pokémon GO" launches on 6 July in the US and, shortly after, on 16 July in Switzerland. I've never seen anything as successful as the first launch. It felt like the whole world was playing it. All my office colleagues were crazy about it, almost everyone in my circle of friends was into it and, of course, all Pokémon fans were playing it. The combination of collecting fever, gaming and environmental involvement hit like a bomb.
"Pokémon GO" has been downloaded more than 750 million times worldwide and generated sales of more than $1.2 billion. According to US mobile market research company Apptopia, around 60 million players logged on in June, 20 per cent of them at least once a day. However, the peak of 100 million active users in August 2016 has never been reached again. Contrary to what you might think, the game hasn't been lost to oblivion.
Among my pals, only one friend still plays "Pokémon GO" regularly. Sarah never stopped PoGo (that's what the fans call it). "I still play because I want to catch all the Pokémon," she says. She already loved the first version (red/blue) for Gameboy. The number of players is currently on the rise again, at least in Winterthur. They meet up and go Pokémon hunting together almost every day. When she knows that a special Pokémon is nearby, Sarah manages to persuade her husband to go for a walk with her.
Something has happened
Developer Niantic hasn't been twiddling its thumbs over the past 12 months. At first, many players criticised the lack of variety. New things await those who get back into the game.
Arenas aren't as monotonous as they used to be. Since June, if you've defeated all your opponent's Pokémon, your team receives six free spots. These can only be occupied by different Pokémon. Now, their strength decreases over time - so they're easier to defeat after a few hours. As a result, the game is much more dynamic. It now takes far fewer battles to beat Pokémon in the arenas. In this new version, knowing the strengths and weaknesses of each Pokémon is more important. [[image:8191112]]
The new raid bosses are more interesting. These particularly strong Pokémon occupy an arena for an hour and can be fought by a team of up to 20 people. Sarah believes that "this encourages team play". These battles have different levels. Not only can you catch Pokémon, but you can also receive other rewards. Under "Machine Technique", you can customise your Pokémon's attacks. To take part in raids, you need a pass. "Pokémon GO" gives you one a day, but it can also be purchased.
The system for finding nearby Pokémon has been revised several times. The initial solution with the little feet was not retained. Now it's possible to see at Pokéstop which Pokémon are nearby. Sarah thought the feet were much better.
A second generation of Pokémon is added to the first. There are now more than 200 multi-coloured monsters to capture.
No big party
There isn't really an anniversary event planned for Pokémon GO. From July 6 to July 24, Pikachu can be captured with Sasha's cap. Anniversary boxes containing various useful items such as incubators, ultra balls and at least one premium raid pass are also on sale.
Special events are still being organised, though. In Europe, there are three. In these safari zones, intercontinental Pokémon such as Tauros, Kangama or Porenta can also be collected in other regions. PoGo players in Zurich are planning to travel to Germany. My friend is even going to Paris with her husband just for the occasion. [[image:8191115]]
What's still missing
Fans are still waiting for one of Pokémon's key elements - trading. You can still play exclusively with each other in arenas or raids. It's not yet possible to challenge someone directly.
The tracking system is far from perfect. Niantic still has a lot of work to do. But, a year after launch, a lot has happened and there's something new for everyone - existing players and new players. If you stopped playing last year, now is the perfect time to reopen the app.
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Philipp Rüegg
Senior Editor
Philipp.Rueegg@digitecgalaxus.chBeing the game and gadget geek that I am, working at digitec and Galaxus makes me feel like a kid in a candy shop – but it does take its toll on my wallet. I enjoy tinkering with my PC in Tim Taylor fashion and talking about games on my podcast http://www.onemorelevel.ch. To satisfy my need for speed, I get on my full suspension mountain bike and set out to find some nice trails. My thirst for culture is quenched by deep conversations over a couple of cold ones at the mostly frustrating games of FC Winterthur.
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