The research firm estimates that Pokemon GO has already raked in earnings of more than $14 million, which is insane when you consider that the game has been available in just a handful of regions for less than a week.
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When players open the app for the first time, there is no option to create a specific game account; rather, they can either log in using their Google account, or their pre-existing Pokemon Trainer Club account. “Google has verified that no other information has been received or accessed by Pokémon GO or Niantic”. Nintendo added billion worth of market value since the game was released last week.
The game, which marries Pokemon, the classic 20-year-old cartoon franchise, with augmented reality, allows players to walk around real-life neighborhoods while seeking virtual Pokemon game characters on their smartphone screens – a scavenger hunt that has earned enthusiastic early reviews.
Pokemon Go is out in the United States, Australia and New Zealand and remains free to play.
Franken cites both “recent reports” and the Pokemon GO privacy policy, saying they both “suggest that Niantic can collect a broad swath of personal information from its players …”
Nintendo isn’t the only company raking in the dough after the launch of Pokemon Go.
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“Now if we were talking about its next generation console becoming the core platform for gamers, then that would be something to get excited about – but at the moment, this alone is not enough”, said Yoshihiro Okumura, general manager at Chibagin Asset Management.
