Pokémon Go: a new social network?

Rarely has a game been as popular as Pokémon Go. In fact it is the most successful app ever. Millions of players, young and old, are out and about en masse to catch the best Pokémon. Is this another craze that will quickly blow over again? Or does Pokémon Go reveal something about our growing need for face-to-face communication?

Pokémon Go is so widespread even hermits know about it. The app for Android and iOS is breaking all records and the hunt for rare creatures regularly leads to incidents. A Pokémon trainer found a body in a river, teenagers were shot at in their car and robbers used Pokémon Go to lure victims. The developer Niantic is even being sued .

Box-office Hit
Regardless of what you think of this game, nobody can deny that Pokémon Go is a giant commercial success. Never before did an augmented reality application reach this many people. At the end of July the game had been downloaded more than a 100 million times worldwide. And in its first month Pokémon Go brought in no less than 180 million Euro. Not bad for a mobile game that you can play for free as well.

So why is Pokémon Go such a success? I think an important factor in its success is the social interaction with other players.

Anti-social game?
When you first look at it Pokémon Go does not look to be a very social game. Players are running after their phones in an almost hypnotic state, barely aware of anything that goes on around them. But appearances can be deceiving. The social aspect is definitely a factor in its success. Every day dozens of trainers gather at a beach in The Hague called Kijkduin. Apparently this is a great location to expand your Pokémon collection.

Here is some more information for non-gamers who are reading this. Pokémon Go stimulates social interaction and face-to-face communication in different ways:

1. Win Fights Together
   One of the goals in Pokémon Go is to measure your monsters against those of others. Every player joins one of three teams. Every team tries to occupy physical locations, such as buildings or works of art with Pokémon. Those locations will then be visited continuously by players, often in groups. Many a conversation will start out with ‘Are you team red?’.
2. Using Items Together
   The so-called Pokéstops, a type of supply point, also encourage teamwork. Players can use a ‘lure’ at Pokéstops that will attract wild Pokémon for 30 minutes. If somebody uses a lure, others can benefit from it as well. Groups are often formed in parks around places where there is a lure.
3. Start Moving Together
   A lot of games only require an internet connection to play together, with Pokémon Go you actually have to be physically together. And movement is the key to success. If you're not getting off that couch, you will catch very little or no Pokémon at all. The eggs that you catch on your adventures will also only hatch if you have travelled a few kilometers.

To sum it up Pokémon Go players have good reason to go out together. And don't be mistaken, for some players the game has a direct positive effect on their quality of life. “Pokémon Go really helped me with my depression and anxiety”, it says on Twitter. “I am now talking to people and leaving the house. It's awesome.” From this we can gather that he hasn't felt this good in years outside his own home.

All this inter-human contact has an obvious positive impact on these trainers. Parents too are delighted. Their kids usually only sit inside, playing games or watching TV. Now they're begging dad to take them around the neighborhood. Is Pokémon Go the best fitness app ever? According to CEO John Hanke this is a well kept secret. “I have kids as well. You don't want them to know that the game is good for them.”

Has the Marketing and Communication field changed forever?
The success of Pokémon Go will not last forever. But I do believe the game has had a permanent impact on our marketing and communication field. What can we learn from Pokémon Go?

1. Augmented reality becomes mainstream
   Pokémon Go is described as the ‘killer app’ for augmented reality. The masses are now aware of this technology and that opens the door to a lot more applications. Maybe a gadget such as Google Glass will become successful in a few years after all? Perhaps we won't be able to go without our heads-up-display (HUD) that shows us all the useful spots in our area?
2. Return to Face-to-Face
   Everybody has a smartphone these days and we communicate mainly via text messages on social media. According to psychologist and sociologist Sherry Turkle all this digital interaction has a negative impact on real conversations. It is assumed that children are becoming less empathic. Pokémon Go shows us that digital and face-to-face are not mutually exclusive. Actually, they are doing great together and reinforce each other.
3. New Social Networks
   Pokémon Go is now in fact one of the largest social networks in the world. But at the same time there are significant differences between sites such as Facebook, Twitter and Pokémon Go. You will not make friends with one click of the mouse with Pokémon Go ; you really have to meet the person. You could therefore say that the term ‘social’ is much more suitable for a game like this. In its deeper layer, the game is a form of social media but one in which interaction in the physical world offers clear added value.
4. Quality is More Important than Budget
   Pokémon Go did not need an elaborate advertising campaign to become known around the world. In this digital world you will accomplish a lot with a trailer and a few new fun things. The quality and accessibility of the game and the Pokémon client circles did the rest. The future of marketers with a limited budget is looking good. Even without a large budget it is possible to score big.
5. Gamification of Shopping
   Corporate life is embracing this game and that is only logical. Retailers tried everything, to no end, to entice people to come to their stores, but Pokémon Go does this effortlessly. Apparently large groups of us are willing to visit physical stores again in exchange for virtual content. Gamification will no doubt create new earning models and shopping formulas.

SAP also sees a future in augmented reality. “I am convinced that intelligent applications will fundamentally change the business and cooperation with trade partners ”, said CEO Bill McDermott at SAPPHIRE NOW. He wasn't only referring to augmented reality, but also to technologies such as  virtual reality, artificial intelligence and machine learning.

I'm very curious to find out how long it will take before Pokémon Go is replaced. Whichever way you put it, this game gives marketers something to think about. So next time someone sees you playing Pokémon Go, you can just tell them you're exploring your field further.