37 Crucial Pokémon Go Statistics: 2024 Data on Downloads, Revenue & Usage

Pokémon Go took the world by storm when the game was launched in 2016. Even though its player base was considerably small when it was first launched, the game went to bring Niantic billions in revenue. Even in a pandemic, consumer spend on in-app purchases increased. This is consistent with mobile gaming statistics, which found the gaming industry thriving despite the economic crisis.

In this compilation of Pokémon Go statistics, you can find out interesting facts about the game. From Pokémon Go downloads to live event statistics, game developers can find out why the game has been successful. In addition, casual players can find trivia about their community, which will entice them to keep catching them all. Perhaps with this data, you may also be inspired to create your own app using the latest application development software.

Pokémon Go Downloads Statistics

Pokémon Go is a wildly popular game that broke records when it was first launched in 2016. If you’re wondering how many downloads does Pokémon Go have—the answer is over one billion downloads. Moreover, its earnings made it as one of the best location-based games and one of the top mobile games in general.

• Pokémon Go has been downloaded more than one billion times since its launch in 2016. (Gamasutra, 2019)
• In 2020, there were 120 million downloads of Pokémon Go, which is five million more compared to 2019. (Future Games Releases, 2021)
• Pokémon Go was the third highest-grossing game worldwide in 2020, earning $757 million. Pokémon Go was topped by Arena of Valor ($947 million) and PUBG ($1.1 billion). (Apptopia, 2021)
• In the United States, Pokémon Go was the third highest-grossing game in 2020, earning $216 million in revenue. It was beaten only by Candy Crush ($251 million) and Roblox ($314 million). (Apptopia, 2021)
• Pokémon Go is the fifth top-grossing mobile game in 2019 with $894 million in gross revenue. Pokémon Go placed lower than Candy Crush with $1.1 billion gross revenue. (SensorTower, 2020)
• Pokémon Go was the top-earning location-based game in 2019 with $894 million in revenue. Dragon Quest Walk placed second ($201 million) while Let’s Hunt Monsters came in third ($26 million). (SensorTower, 2020)
• Pokémon Go had the highest number of downloads when it was launched. During the third quarter of 2016, the game amassed 508.31 million downloads. (Statista, 2021)
• The bulk of Pokémon Go’s global annual revenue in 2020 came from the Asia Pacific with $391.78 million in revenue. On the other hand, revenue from the Americas was at $380.6 million and revenue from EMEA was at $151.17 million. (Future Game Releases, 2021)

Pokémon Go Financial Statistics

Even four years after its launch, Pokémon Go is still a highly profitable game. Pokémon Go statistics show that it generates more revenue on Android than iOS devices. The pandemic has also spurred increased consumer spend on the game.

• As of May 1, 2021, Pokémon Go is the 20th highest-grossing app on the iOS platform in the US. On the other hand, it is the 15th highest-grossing app on the Android platform. (Airnow, 2021)
• Pokémon Go has generated over $4.2 billion in global player spending since it was launched. The US market is the most profitable for game developer Niantic where it has posted $1.5 billion in revenue. (SensorTower, 2020)
• Pokémon Go has more revenue from the Google Play Store than from the Apple App Store. Google Play revenue for Pokémon Go in 2020 reached $1.9 billion while revenue from the Apple App Store reached $1.7 billion. Revenue from Google Play accounted for 53.4% of total revenue. In contrast, revenue from the Apple App Store comprised 46.6% of total revenue. (SensorTower, 2020)
• During the first full week of quarantine in the US, in-app purchases for Pokémon Go reached $23 million for the week of March 16 alone. (SensorTower, 2020)
• The Pokémon franchise is one of the most valuable franchises in the world. As of January 2021, the Pokémon brand has an estimated all-time revenue of $100 billion. (Statista, 2021)
• Pokémon Go users spent 11% more money on the app in 2020 than they did in 2019. (Newsweek, 2020)
• Niantic has raised $245 million in funding, raising its valuation to $4 billion. The funding will allow the company to build advanced augmented reality experiences and to invest in machine learning and its Niantic Real World Platform. (CNBC, 2019)

Pokémon Go Users Statistics

Trainers from all around the world love catching them all. In fact, the Pokémon Go player count for 2021 reached more than 800,000 daily active users in the US alone. Pokémon Go statistics show that there are more male than female players. Moreover, a little over half of the users buy downloadable content from the app.

• The US has the most number of Pokémon Go daily active users with 827,205 iPhone users. On the other hand, Great Britain has 272,015 users. In third place is Japan with 269,733 users. (Statista, 2021)
• 56.4% of Pokémon Go users in the US are male. On the other hand, 43.6% are female. (Statista, 2021)
• In 2020, Pokémon Go ranked 10th in the world for top games based on monthly active users. (App Annie, 2021)
• Pokémon Go ranked third in the US for top games with the highest number of monthly active users. (App Annie, 2021)
• 52% of players purchased downloadable content from the app. As such, Niantic has become successful in monetizing social games like Pokémon Go. (VentureBeat)

Pokémon Go Usage Statistics

The Pokémon Go community is a vibrant and active one where players turn up in droves for live events. In 2019, Niantic hosted live events where millions of trainers showed up in person. But now with the pandemic, Niantic has kept up with the times and switched to online-only events with the same success.

Pokémon Go trainers are motivated to keep catching Pokémon to complete their Pokédex. On the other hand, other players cite physical and mental health benefits as the reason why they play it. When they play, Pokémon Go statistics show that they spend around 30 minutes on the game.

Pokémon Go Events

• Niantic hosted more than 2.7 million attendees during its live events in 2019. (Niantic, 2019)
• There were 77 live events in 32 different countries in 2019 hosted by Niantic. Attendees came from more than 60 countries across six continents. (Niantic, 2019)
• Live events by Niantic generated $249 million in tourism revenue for Chicago, Dortmund, and Montreal. (Niantic, 2019)
• 60,000 players attended the four-day 2019 Pokémon Go Fest in Chicago. Attendees walked 290,000 kilometers during the event and caught 15 million Pokémon characters. In addition, attendees made 213,000 friend connections in Pokémon Go. (Business Insider, 2019)
• The first-ever Pokémon Go Fest in Europe was held in Dortmund, Germany in 2019. In this event, there were 85,000 guests in attendance. Participants walked about 400,000 kilometers and caught over 28 million Pokémon characters. (Heavy.com, 2019)
• The total economic impact of the Pokémon Go event in Dortmund reached $43 million. It also generated $5 million in international and national media coverage plus, generated 250 jobs due to increased economic activity. (Statista, 2019)
• The Pokémon Go event held in New Taipei City gathered 327,000 trainers from around the globe. Participants walked a total of 4.5 million kilometers and caught 50 million Pokémon. (Niantic, 2019)
• Due to the pandemic, the Pokémon Go Fest 2020 was changed from an in-person to a virtual event. Millions of people from 124 countries and regions attended the event. Players sent 55 million gifts to each other and walked around 15 kilometers each. (VentureBeat, 2020)
• To prevent players from going out and gathering with others, Niantic offered over 99% discounts on in-app incense items. They also updated the game for eggs to hatch twice as fast and for players to frequently find more gifts at Pokéstops. (Ars Technica, 2020)

Pokémon Go User Behavior

• The average Pokémon Go iOS user spends 33.25 minutes on the app. In contrast, iOS users only spend 22.8 minutes on Facebook. (AppInstitute)
• A US study found that Pokémon Go has helped users increase their average baseline steps by 1,473 steps or by 25%. (Cosmos, 2019)
• A Japanese study found that players and non-players of Pokémon Go had a difference of 1,891 steps taken in December 2017. (Hino et al., 2019)
• 67.2% of Pokémon Go players said that they play every day but to varying extents. Meanwhile, 18.6% said that they play several hours per day. On the other hand, only 8.9% said that it’s very rare that they are not playing while 5.3% said that they don’t play every day. (Pokémon Go Hub, 2019)
• A Pokémon Go player was able to hold a gym for 1,322 days through cheating. However, he was ousted from the gym through another player who also cheated. (Kotaku, 2021)

Pokémon Go Reasons for Playing

• 77% of players said completing their Pokédex was the top reason why they played Pokémon Go. On the other hand, 63% said that they play to hunt for new shiny Pokémon. Meanwhile, 63% loved the social playing component of the game. (Pokémon Go Hub, 2019)
• Playing Pokémon Go offers users a distraction from the COVID-19 pandemic. (Screen Rant, 2020)
• Other reasons that players gave why they play Pokémon Go is it helps them improve their mental health, makes them more active, and connects them with other people. (Mashable, 2019)

How does Pokémon Go influence physical activity and social connections?

Pokémon Go is more than just a game; it’s a tool that encourages players to get moving and connect with others, fostering both physical activity and social bonds.

• Physical Activity:
  • Encourages Walking: Pokémon Go requires players to walk to catch Pokémon, hatch eggs, and visit Pokéstops, significantly boosting step counts for many users.
  • Health Benefits: Studies indicate that regular Pokémon Go players experience increased daily steps, sometimes by as much as 25%, contributing to overall fitness.
  • Outdoor Exploration: By setting game points in public parks and notable locations, Pokémon Go promotes outdoor activity and exploration of new areas.
• Social Connections:
  • Community Events: Pokémon Go hosts frequent events that encourage players to gather in public spaces, fostering real-world connections.
  • Friendships and Teamwork: The game’s features, like battles and raids, motivate teamwork, helping players form friendships with other Pokémon trainers.
  • Cross-Generational Appeal: With players of all ages, Pokémon Go bridges generational gaps, creating a shared experience for families and friends.

Through its interactive and social elements, Pokémon Go has turned gaming into a tool for fitness and community engagement, making it unique in the mobile gaming world.

A More Exciting Gaming Experience

People young and old continue to play Pokémon Go. To date, the game has achieved more than one billion downloads and has generated billions as well in consumer spending. Niantic, the company behind the game, has also proven to be adaptive to the exigencies of the pandemic by bringing live events online.

Even before the pandemic hit, Niantic has been preparing for the future by investing in machine learning technologies as well as in AR to keep up with current augmented reality trends. Undoubtedly, this will translate to an improved gaming experience and make catching Pokémon characters even more exciting.

Key Insights

• Download Statistics:
  • Pokémon Go has been downloaded over one billion times since its launch in 2016.
  • In 2020, the game saw 120 million downloads, five million more than in 2019.
• Financial Success:
  • Pokémon Go was the third highest-grossing game worldwide in 2020, earning $757 million.
  • The game has generated over $4.2 billion in global player spending since its launch.
  • Pokémon Go generates more revenue from the Google Play Store ($1.9 billion) than from the Apple App Store ($1.7 billion).
• User Demographics:
  • The US has the highest number of daily active users, with 827,205 iPhone users.
  • 56.4% of Pokémon Go users in the US are male, while 43.6% are female.
• Usage Patterns:
  • On average, Pokémon Go iOS users spend 33.25 minutes on the app daily.
  • 67.2% of users play the game every day, while 18.6% play several hours per day.
• Event Participation:
  • Niantic hosted live events in 2019 with over 2.7 million attendees.
  • In 2020, due to the pandemic, the Pokémon Go Fest transitioned to a virtual format, attracting millions from 124 countries.
• Reasons for Playing:
  • 77% of players are motivated to complete their Pokédex.
  • 63% play to hunt for new shiny Pokémon and for the social component of the game.
  • Many players cite physical and mental health benefits as reasons for playing.

FAQ

1. How many times has Pokémon Go been downloaded since its launch? Pokémon Go has been downloaded over one billion times since its launch in 2016.
2. What was the total revenue generated by Pokémon Go in 2020? In 2020, Pokémon Go earned $757 million, making it the third highest-grossing game worldwide that year.
3. Which platform generates more revenue for Pokémon Go, Google Play Store or Apple App Store? Pokémon Go generates more revenue from the Google Play Store, with $1.9 billion, compared to $1.7 billion from the Apple App Store.
4. Who are the majority of Pokémon Go players in terms of gender? In the US, 56.4% of Pokémon Go players are male, while 43.6% are female.
5. What is the average daily usage time for Pokémon Go players on iOS devices? The average daily usage time for Pokémon Go players on iOS devices is 33.25 minutes.
6. How did the Pokémon Go Fest adapt to the pandemic in 2020? Due to the pandemic, the Pokémon Go Fest in 2020 was held as a virtual event, attracting millions of players from 124 countries.
7. What motivates players to continue playing Pokémon Go? Players are motivated by the goal of completing their Pokédex, hunting for new shiny Pokémon, the social aspect of the game, and the physical and mental health benefits.

References:

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26. Snyder, C. (2019, June 18). I spent two days in Chicago with thousands of Pokémon Go fans and had a blast — here’s what it was like at this year’s Pokémon Go Fest. Retrieved from Business Insider.
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By Nestor Gilbert

Nestor Gilbert is a senior B2B and SaaS analyst and a core contributor at FinancesOnline for over 5 years. With his experience in software development and extensive knowledge of SaaS management, he writes mostly about emerging B2B technologies and their impact on the current business landscape. However, he also provides in-depth reviews on a wide range of software solutions to help businesses find suitable options for them. Through his work, he aims to help companies develop a more tech-forward approach to their operations and overcome their SaaS-related challenges.