The folks at GamesIndustry.biz have put together an extensive article detailing a new model the developers at Niantic could consider adopting based on the immense success of Pokémon GO seasonality. Read on below for a few excerpts from the piece:
The great failing of Pokemon Go at launch was that it was outright terrible at player retention; it was fun and interesting for a fixed amount of time but then lacked sufficient compelling reasons for players to keep coming back. The addition of significant social features like gifts and Pokemon trading, along with raids and other features at gyms, has gone a long way to making Pokemon Go into a game people actually want to come back and try again.
There’s something else at work here too, though; it’s no coincidence that the uplift Niantic tracks is from May. The summer itself has played a role, because Pokemon Go is arguably a seasonal game; it’s simply more appealing when the weather is warm and dry. This summer has been a bit too warm in many places, but the logic stands – kids are out of school, which is a major factor beyond the weather, and it’s actually pretty pleasant to head outside on a hot summer night. Both of those things make Pokemon Go into a game that fundamentally works better in summer than at any other time of the year.
For something like Pokemon Go, however, this seasonality could actually be a saving grace. The thing is that Pokemon Go is a pretty major commitment as mobile games go. You can’t just open it and tap a few things for a few minutes; it’s not a game that you whip out on a toilet break or while you wait in line at Starbucks. For most people, playing the game is going to involve actually getting up and going for a walk.
Source: GamesIndustry.biz
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