The Pokémon Go Craze May Hit The Philippines Soon

Pokemon-Go Philippines release

Mobile app Pokémon Go has revolutionized the gaming industry, not only for casual gamers but also for business owners who have seen more customers stumbling into their doors in their quest for cutesy monsters. The biggest beneficiary, of course, is Nintendo, whose stocks have shot up 25% just two days after the game was released in Australia, New Zealand, and the US. The company is now reportedly bigger than Sony.

Pundits say Pokémon Go will finally be available in some Asian countries this month, and hopefully that includes the Philippines. (Contrary to rumors that the app will be available in Southeast Asia on July 16, its developer reportedly told gaming site IGN that “the team is currently heads down working on the game,” and that they “do not have any announced plans for countries beyond New Zealand, Australia, US and Germany at the moment.” There are unconfirmed rumors circulating that says the app will be released in the PH on July 27.) We’re still crossing our fingers.

Caught them all

Nintendo shares jumped 13% on July 12 after a 25% surge on July 11. Reports say the company has gained a $7 billion market-value gains just days after its launch, and is earning $800,000 and $1 million a day in profit. Its massive success is also expected to start a trend in tracking technology and augmented reality gaming.

Investors are currently anticipating a windfall of advertising and licensing revenue for Nintendo, the majority owner of Niantic Labs, who created Pokémon Go. Nintendo also has a 32% stake in Pokémon Co., a unit which controls the merchandise character Pokémon.

“This is a major shift for Nintendo, from being a hardware to software enterprise,” said Bryan Buskas, head of customer in AdColony, a division of the Opera MediaWorks where he oversees the gaming company with more than $250 million in revenue.

Silicon Valley has also had its share of great returns. Google and Apple continue to rake in profit through percentage cut of sales and in-app purchases as the app has remained No. 1 one on their respective app stores.

Google’s profit has, in fact, doubled. According to Business Insider, Niantic was formed in 2010 as an in-house startup in Google, and both Nintendo and Google have stakes in the company.

A bit under the weather

Analyst Michael Pachter, however, estimates that Pokémon Go’s popularity may experience a decline because of battery issues. The app requires you to use your phone’s camera and constantly be connected to GPS–both of which, as we all know, are top culprits for sucking the juice out of your smartphone.

Pachter also notes that the changing weather may affect the frequency of its usage. “Pokémon Go’s overnight success can be credited to timing of its release, when it is summer in America,” he said. “I think the situation will change when winter comes.”

With Metro Manila and other parts of the country experiencing sporadic rains right now, hunting for virtual creatures may also prove to be a challenge.

And since the game is mostly played outdoors, it will heavily rely on data usage, meaning you’ll have to be on cellular connection than Wi-Fi to enjoy your monster-hunting voyage to the fullest.

With the current situation we’re in,  will Pokémon Go hit it big in the Philippines as it has in the US? We’ll find out very soon. eCompareMo