Pokémon has been a handheld sensation for more than 25 years. It began as a smash-hit video game developed into a super popular cartoon and finally into an addictive augmented reality app. As we celebrate Pokémon Day on February 27th, here is how this pop culture powerhouse relates to the markets.
The power that’s inside
It is easy to dismiss Pokémon as only a game, but there’s no doubt that it has a powerful financial impact. The video games alone could keep Nintendo afloat, alongside its other blockbuster franchise Super Mario. However, what started out as a fun game that put tiny creatures in the palms of players’ hands ended up being a pop-culture behemoth.
Wanna be the very best
Just one year after the release of the first game, Pocket Monsters: Red and Green, the game inspired an animated series that became a cult classic. The adventures of Ash Ketchum and his trusty sidekick Pikachu served as an inspiration for numerous more games, and the tiny monsters became a global gaming phenomenon.
In fact, Pokémon is considered to be the most financially successful media franchise of all time, grossing more than $110 billion since its inception¹. That’s more than Disney’s Star Wars and the Marvel Cinematic Universe combined.
Searching far and wide
Perhaps the best demonstration of the franchise’s power was the release of Pokémon GO, which was released in 2016, 20 years after the game’s initial release. The augmented reality smartphone game, which had players looking for digital monsters in real-world landmarks, was one of the most successful smartphone games ever, boasting more than 500 million downloads in less than six months.
The game put Pokémon back on the map (pun intended) and rekindled fans’ love for the franchise. The game was followed by many more releases, across various media, including the live-action movie Detective Pikachu, which made more than $400 million at the box office.
To extend our reach to the stars above!
So what’s next for Pokémon? Well, there will obviously be many more video games released, including several around 2022’s Pokémon Day. Moreover, rumours have surfaced claiming that a Detective Pikachu sequel is in the works and there will definitely be more animated movies in the future.
But, perhaps one of the most intriguing concepts for the future of the franchise lies in NFTs. Pokémon trading cards are already highly sought after by collectors, some reaching monstrous price tags of more than $300,000². It is no wonder, then, that Pokémon NFTs have already been created, some already going for as much as 69 ETH (about $300,000)³.
However, this is just the beginning. Pokémon encompasses video games and collectibles, so it’s the perfect candidate to be the next-gen NFT catalyst. Players can spend hard-earned crypto coins to purchase and train their unique digital pocket monsters. Then, the digital creatures will fight each other in tournaments held within the Metaverse.
In the battle of Pikachu vs. Bored Apes, it looks like everyone will be a winner.
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