How Pokemon Go craze lives on, three years after mobile game took over the world

Like much of the world, Hong Kong found itself in the grip of Pokemania in July 2016 as players tried to ‘catch ’em all’, some risking life and limb

The game, which has made US$2.7 billion since launch, still boasts a number of hard-core followers, many of whom play now for the community aspect

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A Hong Kong Pokemon Go player finds a Dratini, a dragon type Pokemon, in Victoria Harbour. Photo: Bloomberg

Published: 7:45am, 25 Jul 2019Updated: 8:19am, 25 Jul 2019

Three years ago today, the augmented reality smartphone game Pokemon Go – where players catch animated characters in the real world – “invaded” Hong Kong, spawning hordes of phone-wielding zombies who took over streets, parks and other public spaces.

Trainers (that is what players are called) varied in age, race, sex and religion, but they shared one mission: to catch as many weird-looking virtual creatures as possible.

Soon after the launch, the city – like the rest of the world – was in the grip of what became known as “Pokemania”. Governments around the globe issued warnings as gamers, glued to their phones, fell off cliffs and walked into traffic, spurred on by the game’s slogan, “Gotta Catch ’Em All”. In Hong Kong, posters were put up at construction sites warning them to stay away, while employees were under strict orders not to play during work hours.

To say the game was hugely popular is an understatement – it was one of the most used and profitable mobile apps in 2016 and was downloaded 500 million times worldwide as of September that year, according to the Statista website.

People playing Pokemon Go on the tram in Hong Kong’s Admiralty area in August 2016. The slow speed of trams provides good conditions for Pokemon hunting. Photo: Edward Wong

Those who think the Pokemon Go craze is over, think again. The game is still going strong and is on course to pass one billion downloads globally by the end of this year.

For the game’s developer, US software firm Niantic – also behind augmented reality mobile games Ingress and Harry Potter: Wizards Unite – Pokemon Go has been a moneymaking machine, pulling in a staggering US$2.65 billion globally in since its launch three years ago, according to market analyst Sensor Tower.