Niantic’s Pokémon Go has generated $7.9 billion in lifetime gross revenue ($5.5bn net) across the App Store and Google Play in the eight years since it first launched, according to AppMagic estimates.
The location-based augmented reality title has averaged nearly $1bn per year since it started rolling out worldwide on July 6th, 2016. By the end of that year, the title had accumulated $786.4 million in revenue.
Those figures do not include revenue from special partnership deals Niantic has cut for sponsored locations in the past, including with fast food chain McDonald’s.
Pokémon Go revenue peaked during the global pandemic and lockdowns in 2020, hitting $1.3 billion despite players being stuck at home.
Niantic had made a number of updates to ensure players could play at home and adhere to social distancing rules in many countries. In 2021, the title racked up $1.24bn, declining to $912.8m in 2022.
In 2023, player spending declined by 7.9% year-over-year to $841.1m, its lowest since 2017, when it racked up $635.4m.
Declining revenue – or is it?
It should be noted that Niantic launched its own web shop for Pokémon Go in 2023, through which users can obtain better deals for in-game purchases. There are no public estimates for revenue generated through this store.
Looking at H1 2024 revenue from the App Store and Google Play, Pokémon Go accumulated $361.4m, a decline of 7.1% from H1 2023. That figure was also the game’s lowest since H1 2017, when it generated $319.1m.
The United States currently ranks as the No. 1 revenue generating country for lifetime revenue in Pokémon Go. The title has picked up more than $3bn in the country, representing 38.6% of player spending.
Japan ranks No. 2 at $2.45bn, or 31%, while Germany rounds out the top three with $395.1m, or 5% of total revenue.
Niantic is a finalist in a number of categories at the Pocket Gamer Mobile Games Awards 2024, including for Best Developer. You can check out all the finalists and cast your votes on the link below.
The awards ceremony will take place in-person on August 20th in Cologne. You can register for a ticket here.
