Pokémon Go developer Niantic has refuted claims that April saw the game accrue its worst monthly revenue total in five years as fans protest changes to the game’s raid system.
“We generally don’t comment on third-party estimates of our revenue as they are often incorrect, which is the case here,” said a Niantic spokesperson in an email to Eurogamer. “Our revenue so far in 2023 is up on last year.”
That response refutes a recent report from Mobilegamer.Biz, which claimed that Pokémon Go’s revenue had slumped from $42 million In March, down to just $34.7 million in the month of April, representing the app’s lowest monthly revenue since February 2018.
News of the alleged decline, and Niantic’s rebuttal, comes as Pokémon Go fans rail against changes made to the app’s raid system. Previously, the social distancing and lockdown procedures brought in to combat the COVID-19 pandemic pushed Niantic into creating remote play features for its game that allowed gamers to attend raids from the safety of their homes.
The feature was a boon to many in the community who lived in remote areas, or had disabilities that prevented easy travel. However, Niantic recently announced that from April 6, it was hiking its remote raid pass prices, and putting a cap on the number of the in-game events that players could attend each day.
The move, which was seemingly in an attempt to force players to return to pre-pandemic gameplay norms, angered many in the community, leading to a backlash.
“We don’t focus on month to month trends because they fluctuate based on major live events,” commented Niantic in relation to the effect that raid changes were having on gamer participation. “This year’s changes have already increased in-person Raiding and we’re excited to introduce exciting new features over the coming months.”
Regardless, recent events have shown that Niantic’s hit app still has the power to draw sizable crowds to its real world events, which represent another revenue steam for the developer.
Back in February a staggering 17,000 fans gatecrashed Niantic’s Las Vegas Pokémon Go tour, causing connectivity issues for those who had paid out $30 to attend the ticketed event. Operators went so far as to ask the unexpected guests to stay away from the public park in which the event was being held, “to ensure a smooth event for Sunday ticket holders”.
Anthony is a freelance contributor covering science and video gaming news for IGN. He has over eight years experience of covering breaking developments in multiple scientific fields and absolutely no time for your shenanigans. Follow him on Twitter @BeardConGamer
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