Pokemon Go monthly earnings drop to their lowest in five years after Remote Raid Pass nerf
NianticOnly a month after one of Pokemon Go’s most controversial changes, revenue for Niantic’s AR game plummeted to its lowest since February 2018.
Pokemon Go is the 12th highest-grossing mobile game worldwide according to a new report, but it’s not all good news for Niantic. The game registered a huge drop in monthly revenue during April, seemingly proving that the players’ boycott was a success.
Niantic raised the price of one of the most sought-after items in Pokemon Go on April 6, leading players to voice their concerns with the #HearUsNiantic hashtag. Many were waiting to see the full impact of the Remote Raid Pass changes and after a month, it’s not looking good.
Pokemon Go monthly revenue drops to its lowest in five years
The website Mobilegamer.biz reported that Pokemon Go saw a monthly revenue of $34.7 million in April 2023. While that makes the AR game the 12th highest-grossing mobile game worldwide, it shows a considerable drop compared to March 2023’s $42.8 million revenue. Furthermore, March itself showed a major dip from the $57.9 million made in February 2023.
Niantic brought Elite Raids back so players can have more in-person activities.While it’s common for Pokemon Go to have months with more revenue than others thanks to different in-game events and Pokemon debuts, this massive drop of 40% over two months should raise Niantic’s alarms.
In comparison, Pokemon Go grossed $703 million in total during 2022, which constitutes an average of $58 million per month. With that in mind, April 2023’s drop is even more worrying.
While the Remote Raid Pass nerf is probably the main reason behind April’s numbers, many players also argue the state of the game is far from its peak. With many bugs impeding players from playing normally and an overall lack of incentives to go outside and play, many trainers have stopped playing in the last couple of months.
While some are happy that the boycott seems to be working, others expect Niantic to react to the news going back on some decisions that are “killing” the game. We’ll keep an eye out for any new developments on this matter.
For more Pokemon Go news, you can check the next Community Day event, the new Regidrago Elite Raid, or everything we know so far about Pokemon Go Fest 2023.
Image Credits: Niantic / The Pokemon Company