Developed by Niatric and Pokémon Company, Pokemon Go is a mobile game for iPhone and Android. This augmented reality game allows you to become a virtual Pokémon trainer and use your real geography map to hunt and battle Pokémon. In its debut week, Pokemon Go broke the download record on Apple App Store and it still hold the top position of Grossing iPhone. But what made Pokemon Go become so successful around the world? Here are the reasons.

Smile for the camera

Most people heard of Pokemon Go via social media sites such as Facebook and snapchat where screenshots of Pokémon sitting beside friends on the street were shared. The ability to alter the real world by adding virtual components is the perk of this augmented reality app.

Unlike other app that uses almost similar technology, Pokemon Go does not require as much effort and it does not have the level of sophistication. When a player comes across a Pokémon character, the game automatically superimposes it on the camera view. However, a user needs to play around with the phone in order to get the perfect angle for taking the screenshot but upon tracking, only minimal effort is required to make the Pokémon appear as if they are part of the real world.

Users can even get creative with the poses then share widely on social media platforms. The shareability of Pokémon images has contributed significantly to the success of this game. Snapchat, a remarkably successful messaging application with over 100 million users also makes it easy to share images that blend the real and virtual world.

Pokemon Go has an innovative gameplay

In order to play Pokémon Go, you need to walk around and hunt down Pokémon. Most users love this aspect as it encourages them to exercise.

It encourages socialization

Besides helping users exercise, another reason for the popularity of Pokemon Go is the social aspect. The fact that a user has to get outside in order to play this game helps to bring people together in a way that other video games do not.

People gather thanks to lures and gyms but this game recognizes people playing around the same time creating an opportunity to meet and greet.

Today, stories of groups forming thanks to Pokémon have spread and even meets up with the largest being one that was held around Sydney Opera House where over 2000 Pokemon Go players met.

Nostalgia

To most millenials in their twenties, part of the attraction to playing pokemon Go is nostalgia and reminder of the happy moments of playing Pokemon on Nintendo DS.

It is a money earner

A final reason for the success of Pokemon Go is its ability to tap into an already established pop culture phenomenon. At the end of May 2016, Niatric had sold over 280 million units of software related to Pokémon, shipped about 21.5 millions of cards by September 2015 and earned box office revenue amounting to $967 million.

The worldwide market size of Pokémon franchise to be over $60 billion. With such a big market, there are always eager fans who are always waiting for an app like Poke man Go to be launched.