Gearfuse Technology, Science, Culture & More
Pokémon Go took the world by a storm this year. The success of the app was so massive and effective it managed to get hardcore gamers out on the street. There are plenty of things marketers, businesses, and security experts can learn from the game. Here are five of those things:
- One has to be Ready for Success
Despite its popularity, Pokémon Go faced numerous server issues from early on. In the beginning, the demand was so high that the company’s servers went down under pressure. Even once that problem was fixed, the servers sometimes went down. Now, Pokémon Go survived the tech issues thanks to the strength of the franchise. Other businesses, however, should think early about preparing in advance for viral hits. It’s important to have the additional server capacity on standby to avoid issues similar to the ones Pokémon Go faced.
- Microtransactions are How Apps Make Money
Who would have played Pokémon Go if the app had charged players fifty bucks a month? Probably not as many. The app was offered for free and the monetization was in-game. People paid small amounts to buy premium items in game. These “microtransactions” are how apps can make money in the future. Other similarly successful gaming apps, like Farmville and countless casino games, make money with in-game purchases. For example, at mansioncasino.com you can find variety of online casino games that charge nothing to play, but still turn huge profits. This is because of tiny in-game purchases.
- Think about Real-Life Implications
When launching an app, it’s important for companies to think about how the app will do in the real world. Playing Pokémon Go caused some players to get robbed, get in car accidents, and even fall off cliffs. App developers must really think through the real world implication before an app is released.
- Established Franchises are Always Bankable
The success of Pokémon Go is largely owed to the fact that the franchise has had a presence since the 90s. Most of the people who started playing were familiar with the Pokémon world from the anime, GameBoy games, and card swap games almost two decades ago. This proves that if an idea was once popular, it can be popular again. It is a much lower risk to bank on a proven franchise than a new one.
- Viral Successes Eventually Cool
Pokémon Go was super popular months ago but the fire has definitely cooled down in recent times. This is something that is worthwhile to ponder on. You can make a killing with a viral success, but only for a short time. Only time will tell what the long-term prospects are for a game like Pokémon Go.
Don’t marvel at Pokémon Go, learn from it to make your business more successful.
