Pokémon GO was an absolute smash hit well before Pokémon Let’s Go took the Switch by storm. Not only is it part of one of the world’s most popular media franchises, it’s also a very cunning use of modern mobile technology.
It’s no surprise, then, that Pokémon Let’s Go broke sales records on the Switch – a system that’s no stranger to this achievement. Let’s Go is the only (sort of) mainline entry in the franchise out on Switch so far and it shares a lot of the DNA of GO. So it’s not really a surprise that it’s so popular, is it?
Pokémon GO paved the way for the success of Let’s Go
But we’d go so far as to say that without GO leading the charge, Let’s Go wouldn’t have been half as successful. Sure, it’s a damn good game in its own right, but GO paved the way for it thanks to its innovative streamlining of the franchise.
As a result, GO introduced an enormous franchise to a whole new audience. Let’s Go is not even really a new mainline game. Instead, it bridges the gap between GO and the proper mainline games that introduce a new generation.
So if Pokémon GO paved the path for a more successful Let’s Go launch on console, why don’t more console games try and reel in a larger audience by making headway in the mobile market? Many have tried: we’ve seen mobile The Witcher, Call of Duty, and Uncharted have all made efforts but have paled in comparison.
We’d argue that we need more mobile games that have a relationship with the core console game
So what’s missing? We’d argue that it’s the lack of relationship between the console and mobile games. We’re not saying we want everything to be a companion app, but a mobile game might be a lot more appealing if it let you make progress or earn unique items while on the go.
For example, we’d like to grab craft while on the go, tweak our weapon loadouts, or complete minigames to earn extra XP or items. Surely it can’t be that difficult, yet so few developers have tried it?
Not every game is scalable enough to pull off a Fortnite. It’s awesome that you can play it on your mobile or PS4/Xbox One but we don’t need our mobile games to be that sophisticated. Just letting us do the boring content while waiting for an Uber would be enough. Extra rewards would also go a long way.
