In 2016, Pokemon Go hit our mobile devices with the force of a nuclear bomb. In its first quarter, people downloaded the game 226 million times, turning Niantic from a relatively unknown developer to a household name. Aiming to capitalize on Pokemon Go’s success, it partnered with recognizable franchises like Catan, Harry Potter, Pikmin, and Marvel. Unfortunately, nearlyall these projects were canceled during or shortly after release. Today, Niantic’s success with Pokemon Go seems like a fluke.
Before we dive into Niantic’s history, let’s look at Monster Hunter Now, Niantic’s latest game. Developed in partnership with Capcom, this game is instantly recognizable to anyone who’s downloaded a Niantic release. Players explore their neighborhood, battling monsters while picking up items as they go. Encounters are short; you may enjoy a few battles while waiting in line for your coffee.We found the game fun, if simplistic, but nevertheless, we expect it to flop. Why? Since 2016, Niantic has done nothing but attempt to replicate Pokemon Go’s success rather than innovate.
Enjoy repetitive tapping in this simplified Monster Hunter game.
In January, we reviewed NBA All-World and came awaypleasantly surprised by the entertaining gameplay. In April, we concluded that whileMarvel World of Heroes' gameplay was snappy, it may not sustain interest when fully released. In June 2023, both titles were canceled as part ofNiantic’s layoffs of more than 230 employees.
As anyone who’s paid attention to Niantic’s developments over the years knows, this is unsurprising news. Of the eight games Niantic announced after Pokemon Go, only Pikmin Bloom, Peridot, and Monster Hunter Now are live. From Harry Potter: Wizards Unite (shut down two years after release) to Catan: World Explorers (shut down during open beta), all these games attempted to jam the respective franchise into Pokemon Go’s framework. While gameplay differed significantly across all these titles, the overall experience was the same: open your phone, play a short minigame, and tap some buttons.
This short-lived adaptation of the best-selling board game promised players could “develop settlements and roads while collecting resources.”
Pokemon Go was uniquely suited to this gameplay as it scratched the same itch as the franchise’s core games. The addicting loop of collecting virtual creatures has made Pokemon the highest-grossing media franchise of all time, and Niantic’s game tapped into the heart of this. Is Pokemon Go fun? Not really. The gameplay is repetitive to the extreme, and even events like Gym battles and Raids merely involve frantic tapping. A2019 study found that: “Earlier experiences, especially with the same franchise, social influence, and popularity, were the most common reasons to adopt the game while progressing in the title was the most frequently reported reason to continue playing.” Simply put, players enjoyed collecting Pokemon they had encountered in other games. Note that enjoyable gameplay is not mentioned here.
…progressing in the game was the most frequently reported reason to continue playing
Niantic’s attempts since Pokemon Go have tried to shake up gameplay without recognizing the collection element is what made Pokemon Go a hit. Monster Hunter Now is fun, but I don’t see a reason to play more beyond defeating bigger monsters. Catching a Legendary Pokemon in Pokemon Go, on the other hand? I’ll be thinking about that for weeks.
