Pokémon GO continues to go strong in Chicagoland

With the summer release of Pokémon GO, gaming in Chicagoland has moved off the couch, out of the bedroom and into the streets—from Conservation World in Springfield, Elgin to selected spots in Highland Park, Deerfield and other Illinois areas.

"You don't sit on your couch and wait around for cats to come visit. No more feeding farms or fish from home. You've got to go out and experience your local retailers to catch Pokémon and visit Pokémon Gyms," explains Andrew Degenholtz, founder of Oplytic: Mobile Marketing and Engagement.

"Any local coffee shop or retailer would benefit from the walk by/in traffic. Pokémon, and similar games or mobile experiences can actually help local merchants acquire more customers. Of course, there needs to be a good fit-ice cream parlors, hair salons, bookstores. Walk down any main street and you'll see people playing. Young kids, hipsters, parents, anyone with a smartphone. It's an exciting time for mobile apps and mobile app marketing."

Niantic’s location-based augmented reality mobile game for iOS and Android devices already passed 75M downloads worldwide according to Sensor Tower. Even McDonald's is getting into the action with a sponsored launch in Japan. "It makes sense for every McDonald's to be a Pokémon gym," says Degenholtz. "If McDonald's has extra seats in the restaurant, why not fill them with people engaged in Pokémon battles? They'll take a break for a shake and a burger. It's brilliant and will have a measurable return on investment."

The free-to-play game is funded through in-app purchases, however hardcore users can opt to pay to level up each week. "Unless players use in-app purchases to power up, you have to move to play," continues Degenholtz. "I missed Pokémon cards, movie, games but I did not miss Pokémon GO. Once you experience it you understand why mobile gaming, and the economics of mobile, will never be the same."