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I still don’t understand how Niantic botched such a killer lead on Pokémon Go. When it first launched they were making millions _per day_ and somehow couldn’t s

I still don’t understand how Niantic botched such a killer lead on Pokémon Go. When it first launched they were making millions _per day_ and somehow couldn’t scale to keep the servers alive.

_2z1p 3y ago
Not only that, there are so many other franchises they could’ve applied the same game mechanics to and made additional hit games.
- DigiDigiorno 3y ago
  I'm amazed I never heard of the games outside of Pokemon and Ingress Did you know they have NBA, Pikmin, and Peridot (whatever that is) games? (Also they apparently developed a now shutdown Harry Potter game) They also have Marvel and Monster Hunter games coming out this year. I don't find their game loops fun, but damn do they have amazing IP partners
  - mcpackieh 3y ago
    Terrible advertising too. I never heard of any of these besides Pokemon Go and Ingress.
uLogMicheal 3y ago
Niantic was never about the fun and games, it was about the data. Look at their funders.
- DowsingSpoon 3y ago
  I don’t really feel like spending my Saturday doing some nebulous research project. Can you just tell me. Who are the funders and why is that relevant?
  - uLogMicheal 3y ago
    https://kotaku.com/the-creators-of-pokemon-go-mapped-the-world-now-theyre-1838974714 https://kotaku.com/the-creators-of-pokemon-go-mapped-the-wor... From the article: The CIA’s venture capital investment firm, In-Q-Tel, took a particular interest in Keyhole. According to a 2003 press release, within two weeks of In-Q-Tel’s investment, Keyhole’s tech was implemented to support Pentagon initiatives in Iraq. In-Q-Tel’s leader at the time was Gilman Louie, a video game industry veteran who’d designed or produced a handful of flight simulators, including the Falcon series. Louie, who currently sits on the board of Niantic and whose venture capital firm is a major investor in the company, has had a decades-long relationship with Hanke, apparently fueled by their shared enthusiasm for mapping and augmented reality. Keyhole also proved seductive to Google, whose cofounder Sergey Brin led the initiative to acquire Keyhole for a reported $35 million in 2004.
DigiDigiorno 3y ago
According to basic Google searches, their revenue is literally higher now than 2016. Now they have less than 1/3 of the active users compared to then, but their revenue is closer to 1bn then it was then. It does seem like a failure because they were so popular and culturally relevant at their peak, whereas now I don't hear about them at all. But, I still think they are printing money and have one of the best "outstanding data collection to the public" apps ever
jojojaf 3y ago
I saw some analysis by a Pokémon YouTuber that they thought Niantic were doing it intentionally because they're planning to launch their own competitor soon which they could make more money on because doesn't use the Pokémon IP
- Izkata 3y ago
  That wouldn't make a whole lot of sense, they already had Ingress. They were based in the same maps (at one point people were using knowledge of Ingress to find secrets in Pokemon Go). It really was only because of the Pokemon IP it did/does so well.
- poisonborz 3y ago
  They already did, it's called Peridot, launched in May and as you might guess it seems to be an expensive failure.
revlolz 3y ago
Monetization and a stubborn refusal for fun. Leadership their opted for "health" and engagement (even if negative) over exciting gameplay and quality of life improvements. Some of the best features of the game were bugs or unintended.
dec0dedab0de 3y ago
I still play occasionally, but I know quite a few people that still play every day, most of them are paying. I think if you compare it to other fads they are doing quite well. I doubt fidget spinners and slap bracelets were making as much 7 years later.

I still don’t understand how Niantic botched such a killer lead on Pokémon Go. When it first launched they were making millions _per day_ and somehow couldn’t scale to keep the servers alive.

_2z1p 3y ago

Not only that, there are so many other franchises they could’ve applied the same game mechanics to and made additional hit games.

DigiDigiorno 3y ago
I'm amazed I never heard of the games outside of Pokemon and Ingress Did you know they have NBA, Pikmin, and Peridot (whatever that is) games? (Also they apparently developed a now shutdown Harry Potter game) They also have Marvel and Monster Hunter games coming out this year. I don't find their game loops fun, but damn do they have amazing IP partners
- mcpackieh 3y ago
  Terrible advertising too. I never heard of any of these besides Pokemon Go and Ingress.

uLogMicheal 3y ago

Niantic was never about the fun and games, it was about the data. Look at their funders.

DowsingSpoon 3y ago
I don’t really feel like spending my Saturday doing some nebulous research project. Can you just tell me. Who are the funders and why is that relevant?
- uLogMicheal 3y ago
  https://kotaku.com/the-creators-of-pokemon-go-mapped-the-world-now-theyre-1838974714 https://kotaku.com/the-creators-of-pokemon-go-mapped-the-wor... From the article: The CIA’s venture capital investment firm, In-Q-Tel, took a particular interest in Keyhole. According to a 2003 press release, within two weeks of In-Q-Tel’s investment, Keyhole’s tech was implemented to support Pentagon initiatives in Iraq. In-Q-Tel’s leader at the time was Gilman Louie, a video game industry veteran who’d designed or produced a handful of flight simulators, including the Falcon series. Louie, who currently sits on the board of Niantic and whose venture capital firm is a major investor in the company, has had a decades-long relationship with Hanke, apparently fueled by their shared enthusiasm for mapping and augmented reality. Keyhole also proved seductive to Google, whose cofounder Sergey Brin led the initiative to acquire Keyhole for a reported $35 million in 2004.

DigiDigiorno 3y ago

According to basic Google searches, their revenue is literally higher now than 2016. Now they have less than 1/3 of the active users compared to then, but their revenue is closer to 1bn then it was then. It does seem like a failure because they were so popular and culturally relevant at their peak, whereas now I don't hear about them at all. But, I still think they are printing money and have one of the best "outstanding data collection to the public" apps ever

jojojaf 3y ago

I saw some analysis by a Pokémon YouTuber that they thought Niantic were doing it intentionally because they're planning to launch their own competitor soon which they could make more money on because doesn't use the Pokémon IP

Izkata 3y ago
That wouldn't make a whole lot of sense, they already had Ingress. They were based in the same maps (at one point people were using knowledge of Ingress to find secrets in Pokemon Go). It really was only because of the Pokemon IP it did/does so well.
poisonborz 3y ago
They already did, it's called Peridot, launched in May and as you might guess it seems to be an expensive failure.

revlolz 3y ago

Monetization and a stubborn refusal for fun. Leadership their opted for "health" and engagement (even if negative) over exciting gameplay and quality of life improvements. Some of the best features of the game were bugs or unintended.

dec0dedab0de 3y ago

I still play occasionally, but I know quite a few people that still play every day, most of them are paying. I think if you compare it to other fads they are doing quite well. I doubt fidget spinners and slap bracelets were making as much 7 years later.