Upcoming Pokémon Game on Nintendo Switch Hopes to Capture Huge Mobile Fan Base of 'Pokémon Go'The developer of the upcoming 'Pokémon Let's Go' is incentivizing players of the smartphone phenomenon to become customers of the Nintendo console.
戳monGoreleased on mobile platforms on July 6, 2016. It wasn't long before the augmented reality game became aglobal phenomenon, with more than 800 million downloads as of December 2017.
Soon, Nintendo, the publisher of Pokémon games on its consoles (the IP is owned and managed by The Pokémon Company), will see whether these mobile gamers will convert into customers of its Switch platform. The company on Nov. 16 will release two versions of戳mon Let's Go, a new entry in its long running line of role playing games featuring critters such as Pikachu and Charmander. It will be the first Pokémon game to be released on Switch and will also integrate with the mobile game.
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"Our main objective with entering into mobile has been to expand the overall Nintendo business," a Nintendo of America spokesperson tellsEntrepreneur."More specifically, we are aiming to maximize the number of people that have access to Nintendo IP and, thus, to further expand the gaming population."
The company has already released several mobile games based on its properties, includingSuper Mario Run, Fire Emblem HeroesandAnimal Crossing: Pocket Camp.Two games featuring Mario --Super Mario Odyssey and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe-- are the twohighest selling任天堂games on the Switch.
Most of the highest selling games on the 3DS platform feature Pokemon. While these titles are for more experienced players, the upcoming戳mon Let's Go,developed by Game Freak inc,is taking a different approach.
"With the launch of戳mon Goin 2016 and the global sensation that ensued, millions of new players were introduced to the world of Pokémon," said Junichi Masuda, director at Game Freak inc, in apress release。"For many people,戳mon Gowas their first experience with the Pokémon brand, so we have crafted these two new titles to be an accessible entry point to our core RPG series while giving our longtime fans a new way to play Pokémon."
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The games, set for release on Nov. 16 for $59.99 each or bundled with a controller resembling a Poké Ball for $99.99, will integrate戳mon Goby allowing players to transfer captured戳monfrom the mobile game onto the Nintendo Switch. In the game, players will guide a trainer, capturing pokémon after turn-based battles, then challenging in-game characters.
The integration with戳mon Gois a smart way to both reward player investment and incentivize mobile users to buy in to the Switch platform.
