Techdirt Podcast Episode 84: Is It The 'Pokemon' Or The 'Go' That Matters?

from the killer-app-or-one-hit-wonder? dept

Tue, Aug 2nd 2016 1:00pm — Leigh Beadon

Pokémon Go is an undeniable phenomenon, and the first mass-appeal hit from the world of augmented reality — a technology people have been expecting would transform gaming for years. That leaves a big question, though: is its popularity a sign of the future for AR, or is the game an isolated phenomenon that owes more to the popularity of its brand? This week, we discuss what we can learn from Pokémon Go, and whether we can truly learn anything at all.

Follow the Techdirt Podcast on Soundcloud, subscribe via iTunes, or grab the RSS feed. You can also keep up with all the latest episodes right here on Techdirt.

Filed Under: augmented reality, podcast, pokemon, pokemon go, video games

3 Comments

If you liked this post, you may also be interested in...

Reader Comments

Subscribe: RSS

View by: Time | Thread

Anonymous Coward, 2 Aug 2016 @ 5:58pm

What I've learned from Pokemon Go is that some people are so obsessed with collecting the same things theyve been collecting for a decade that they'll ignore the whole idea of a game (ie walking, exercise, exploration) in order to cheat at said collecting.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Ninja (profile), 3 Aug 2016 @ 4:14am

I think it's a mix of both. The GO part sparked a whole host of new interactions, added to the appeal of getting the little monsters of our youth (and today's youth somehow). BOOM, instant success.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
John Bryan, 3 Aug 2016 @ 12:19pm

Just in case anyone cares, the card game came after the first Pokemon RPG.

And there is clearly a group of people playing this game, that would never have played the Pokemon RPG, and would not be out walking around the neighborhood without this game existing.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]