The Pokémon GO Craze

Abstract

When Niantic Inc. released Pokémon GO, it became the most downloaded app in the iOS store. By June 2017, Pokémon GO had 752 million downloads and earned approximately USD 1.2 billion in revenue, partially due to Niantic’s partnerships with companies such as Starbucks, T-Mobile, and Apple. However, the game’s success was short lived and began declining in popularity soon after its launch. A game that was ahead of its time and received record breaking downloads and attention, now seemed a thing of the past. This case examines contributing factors to the meteoric rise and decline of Pokémon GO, in particular issues with safety and stability, and the strategic marketing that brought on, but could not sustain, the game’s popularity.

This case was prepared for inclusion in Sage Business Cases primarily as a basis for classroom discussion or self-study, and is not meant to illustrate either effective or ineffective management styles. Nothing herein shall be deemed to be an endorsement of any kind. This case is for scholarly, educational, or personal use only within your university, and cannot be forwarded outside the university or used for other commercial purposes.

2024 Sage Publications, Inc. All Rights Reserved

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