Pokémon Go Still Has Strong Player Base Even Two Years After Its Initial Release

Niantic, in conjunction with The Pokémon Company, is responsible for the popular Pokémon GO game for both Android and iOS mobile devices. However, to play Pokémon Go, your mobile device needs to have it GPS on, giving you the ability to find, fight, catch and train Pokémon creatures.

Pokémon Go was first released in 2016 and has been quite popular because of two things – augmented reality and location-based technology. It’s also local companies to pad their bottom lines because of higher foot traffic. Still, it’s not been without its share of controversies – some people have become injured playing the game (accidents), and in some locations, it’s regarded as a nuisance.

Several governments have noted their own concerns about game security. For some countries, legislation was passed regarding use. While popularity for the game waned at the start of 2017, there’s been a rise in downloads for it a year after the release – about 750 million downloads.

Players must move in their actual surroundings for their avatars to move on the map. Different types of Pokémon are placed throughout the city. While players are in the game and walking around their city, they will come across a Pokémon in the game, which can also be seen in a live rendered background. How is that? A gyroscope is used, and the mobile device’s camera is used to show the Pokémon as if it were real.

Players can get screenshots of the encountered Pokémon whether or not they have the augmented reality mode on. Pokémon Go players don’t always have to battle the creatures to catch them, unlike previous games. Instead, they just need to throw a Pokeball toward the Pokémon. Once captured, it’s the player’s property. For the successful capture of a Pokémon, players need great timing and using the right kind of Pokeball.

Pokémon Go’s new update lets players carry out daily research tasks, which they get from PokeStops. Players can take on as many tasks as they want but just one Research Stamp is given a day. When a player has seven stamps, they secure a research breakthrough reward such as Rare Candy, TMs and encounters with Legendary Pokémon.

The latest game update is seen with the Pokémon Go Beta app, which allows players to report errors in the latest version. Niantic will let people know if they qualify to be a Pokémon Beta app tester for the latest Pokémon Go before it gets released to the public.