Pokemon Go Hits 800 Million Downloads and Counting

• Popular mobile game Pokemon Go revealed the AR game hit 800 million downloads since release.
• The game experienced 150 million downloads in the past two months alone.
• Pokemon Let’s Go Eevee and Pokemon Let’s Go Pikachu were also announced for the Nintendo Switch, which will integrate Pokemon Go features.

Free-to-play game Pokemon Go is growing in popularity at an impressive rate with 800 million downloads and counting. The game was launched on July 6, 2016, and it has shown no signs of slowing down ever since. The game offers an AR experience to players, allowing people to capture Pokemon in real life locations while making use of GPS and augmented reality graphics.

Tsunekazu Ishihara from Nintendo announced today the game achieved 150 million downloads in the past two months alone. The game reported 650 million downloads in March at the Game Developers Conference and it has grown to 800 million as of today.

Pokémon Go was donloaded 800 million times, Ishihara says. ポケモンGO、累計ダウンロードは8億に。

— Takashi Mochizuki (@6d6f636869) May 30, 2018

The augmented reality game is available on iOS and Android. Users can download the game for free and can spend money on optional in-game microtransactions for perks. The game’s microtransactions have been a massive hit with developers Niantic reporting $600 million in revenue from the game so far in 2016 alone, making it the fastest earner in mobile gaming history.

Nintendo also announced two new Pokemon Let’s Go games, available in Eevee and Pikachu versions. The new RPG will be available for the Nintendo Switch and can be paired with a Pokemon Go account for various features. It will not be “core” title and will include much simpler gameplay mechanics. The game will feature a new Pokeball controller which can be used on the Switch, Android and iOS. The Pokeball will be available for purchase from the official website as well as other physical and digital stores across the world.

An eighth-generation core RPG has been promised for 2019 for diehard fans who want to get the full experience. Nintendo also released Pokemon Quest, a free to play RPG with Minecraft-like graphics for the Switch with iOS and Android versions expected shortly. Quest can already be downloaded on the Nintendo Switch from the eShop while the Let’s Go titles will be available on November 16, 2018.