Pokémon Go, the massive hit game, is now experiencing a fall, which is evident from Google search results. According to the Google Trends Tool, in the week of September 18, people searched for “Pokémon Go” on Google one-tenth as many times compared to the peak of the mobile game’s popularity during the week of July 10, reports Venture Beat.
Pokémon Go losing steam
However, even with fewer searches, the Google Maps-powered augmented reality game is garnering five times more Google queries than Clash Royale – a popular game from developer Supercell, notes Venture Beat. The latest update, which went live on September 25, also boosted searches last week. With the update, the game now shows where the pocket monsters have been captured. The update also allows players to use certain items with the wearable accessory Pokémon Go Plus.
Niantic, the developer of Pokémon Go, launched the game in early July. Pokémon Go was the fastest app ever to cross $500 million in revenue and 500 million downloads. It also broke several records over the summer, but as as its popularity slowly cools, it’s even falling in terms of revenues. After topping the charts for weeks, Pokémon Go was out-grossed by Clash Royale last week. And now, Machine Zone’s (MZ) Game of War and Mobile Strike are outperforming it on both Android and iOS, notes Venture Beat.
To attract new players, Machine Zone has been using TV ads and other marketing techniques. On the other hand, Niantic spent less on user acquisition. The Pokémon Company did some promotion on Twitter, but ads never appeared on television, according to commercial-tracking intelligence firm iSpot.tv.
Players file complaints with federal government
In other Pokemon Go news, since the release of the game in July, more than 70 players have filed complaints with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). According to Polygon, of the 72 complaints, 56 are aimed at developer Niantic Labs, while the rest were directed at Nintendo and The Pokemon Company.
Players are complaining of many things, but the majority of complaints are related to money. For example, one player said that after spending $450 on the game, his account got banned after Niantic started blocking third-party apps and accounts using those apps. The player demanded that either his money be given back or his account be reinstated so that he can continue playing. The safety of children, private property being used for Pokemon Gyms and privacy issues were other complaints from users.
