Already one of the biggest sensations of 2016, Pokémon GO is shattering all sorts of records by offering an augmented reality gaming experience that has crossed age and gender lines in its popularity. Since its launch on July 6th, the app has been downloaded millions of times, surpassing Tinder in downloads and Twitter in daily active users.
 
While the ascension of Pokémon GO might seem sudden, our analysis of online conversation data made it clear that momentum had begun to build in June when Nintendo confirmed the app’s July release during their Treehouse livestream at the E3 gaming conference. Online conversation volume surrounding the Pokémon brand rose 2,897% in June (as compared to monthly average for January through May). Word of mouth surrounding the official launch of the app in July propelled the Pokémon brand further into the mainstream as conversation volume increased another 606% over the month of June.

 

 

Perhaps an even more powerful indicator of the breakthrough nature of Pokémon GO is the success of the app in appealing to new audiences. Between June and July we saw a massive shift in the demographic profile of people talking about the Pokémon franchise. Prior to the launch of the app, people talking about the brand online were consistently male (80%) and teenagers (40%). Since the Go phenomenon took hold in July, we see that the online audience has changed dramatically – fans are now split evenly with regard to gender, and 25-34 year-olds have emerged as the predominant age group.

 

 
There’s still a lot of buzz left in the life of Pokémon GO as we are seeing a regular stream of trending headlines around the latest player antics in their pursuit to catch them all. Make sure to visit Taykey Trend Pulse to see what’s trending in real time or follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and the Taykey blog as we continue to report on the latest insights around the biggest gaming trend of 2016.
 
Lastly, Pokémon GO fans will be excited to know that Taykey’s New York office is rich in Zubats. If you’re planning a visit, make sure to bring an ample supply of Poké Balls.