Pokemon GO Developer Comments on Potential Sequel

Pokemon GO is swiftly approaching its tenth anniversary, and the developers have now addressed whether it might ever see a sequel, or if there might ever be a totally different Pokemon game from the same company. Since launching in the summer of 2016, Pokemon GO has become nothing short of a cultural phenomenon. The game found immediate success, and has managed to maintain a large user base around the world.

Pokemon GO is developed by Niantic, a company that specializes in augmented reality games. While the developer has experimented with similar games, including Nintendo’s Pikmin franchise, none have found the same level of success. Last year, Niantic and Pokemon GO were acquired by Scopely, but the development team remains intact.

Will Pokemon GO Get a Sequel?

In an interview with GamesIndustry.biz, Ed Wu was asked about the possibility of a Pokemon GO sequel. Wu previously served as the senior vice president of Pokemon GO at Niantic, and is now the president of games at Scopely. The developer quickly shut down the possibility, noting that it would be “pretty clearly not the correct thing to do.” There are many obvious hazards that could come with making a sequel, including the fact that it could split up the game’s established base of players. Overwatch 2 is one of the few live-service sequels, and it seems Wu doesn’t want to repeat that game’s mistakes.

“There’s such a big community because of the way that our games can be a part of folks’s lives wherever they go, however they explore the world. Creating a sequel that divides the community doesn’t make as much sense. If and when we do something new, it will really have to be from a different angle, but still with this notion of inspiring people to explore the world together.”

Niantic and The Pokemon Company seem to have established a strong relationship over the last decade. Pokemon GO has had an overall positive impact on the brand, and the game serves as a strong entry point to the rest of the franchise. While not considered a mainline game, Pokemon GO offers connectivity to Pokemon Home, and with games like Pokemon Scarlet and Violet. Messing with a winning formula would be a huge mistake, especially if it runs the risk of alienating current players. Pokemon GO constantly adds new features and mechanics, and it’s a vastly different game than the one that first launched. There’s simply no need to confuse players with an arbitrary sequel.

Image via Niantic

While Wu shot down the possibility of a direct sequel, the developer did seem open to making a completely different Pokemon game. How that would turn out is anyone’s guess, but Niantic would have to come up with something unique that stands apart from the elements that work so well in Pokemon GO. For the time being, the developer should continue to focus on improving the current game, in order to maintain and grow the current audience.

Rearrange the covers into the correct US release order.

Easy (5)Medium (7)Hard (10)


Start

Rearrange the covers into the correct US release order.

Easy (5)Medium (7)Hard (10)Start

Thankfully, it seems Pokemon GO has big plans to grow over the coming months. Pokemon GO Fest 2026 will take place this summer, and all players that login during the event will receive content that is normally offered only to those who purchase an event ticket. That means increased Shiny encounter rates, Special Research surrounding the Mythical Pokemon Zeraora, and more. It should be the perfect way for existing players to celebrate the game’s tenth anniversary, and it just might convince some lapsed players to jump back in. With an audience that most live-service games could only dream of, Pokemon GO doesn’t need a sequel to shake things up.

Systems

Released

July 6, 2016

Engine

Unity

Multiplayer

Online Multiplayer, Online Co-Op