Pokémon Go appears to have been a huge success in the United Kingdom, according to data compiled by pollster YouGov.
The massively popular augmented reality game, available for iOS and Android, has been downloaded by more than 6.1 million British adults (13% of the population) since its UK release on 14 July.
The majority of those who installed the game, 5.3 million (87% of those who installed the game), are still using the app, having played it within the previous week.
Over 1 million UK users have used real-world money for items in the game, with most (600,000 users) paying between 80p and £14.99.
A quarter of a million UK players have spent £15 or more on the game – this group alone has spent over £7 million.
The game also appeals to those over 35
Although most of the app’s British users (66%) are aged 18-34, a full third (33%) are over 35, while 4% are over 55.
The findings suggest that marketing tie-ups should not just focus on young people, but also those moving into middle age.
Popularity in the US is also high
Pokémon Go has also been massively popular in the United States, seperate data by YouGov revealed.
A seperate report revealed that 34.5 million US adults (10% of the adult population) have downloaded and installed Pokémon Go since its US release on July 6, 2016, with 30.8 million people (90% of those who have installed the game) still using the app.
Nearly 10 million Pokémon Go users in the US (29% of players) have made in-app purchases since the game was launched. Over 57% of US users (5.8 million players) have spent up to $19.99.
Dan Tochen, Research Director at YouGov, said: “Pokémon Go’s remarkable success is a testament to the strength of the Pokémon brand. Our survey revealed a high incidence of paid users Pokémon go accounts for sale and ongoing play among users, showing that offering a new way to engage with Pokémon to franchise fans — including those who no longer own Nintendo’s handheld devices — has paid off handsomely.
“The question is: can other brands capitalize on AR games in the same way? Pokémon Go has two key advantages: a fan base built over almost 20 years and more than a dozen previous games, and franchise gameplay that is a natural fit for AR. These advantages are hard to duplicate, and given Pokémon Go’s first mover advantage, we expect that only the largest franchises (think Star Wars and Harry Potter) could hope to achieve comparable success.”
Pokémon Go is on track to become a “$1bn run-rate game”
“Our research is showing that spend levels in five weeks in just three countries is over a quarter of a billion dollars,” said Stephen Harmston, head of YouGov Reports. “Start projecting that over time and across 72 countries where Pokémon Go is available and you’ll see how quickly this will become a $1bn run-rate game.”