Will Pokemon Go harm sales of Sun & Moon?

[Mackened]

Do you think Pokemon Go will harm sales of Sun & Moon? A free app with real life interaction will surely give people less reason to buy a full price console game.

 

[Logan]

What's your reasoning? Surely it will only increase popularity of Pokémon and, therefore, sales of any games (especially main series games). Hardcore Pokémon fans will buy the games regardless, something like Pokémon Go has only reignited love of Pokémon for old casual fans and, also, dragged in new casual fans.

 

[Desert Stream~]

Yeah, anyone who has bought games in the past and enjoyed them will probably continue to buy the games. Pokemon S/M is being hyped so much I doubt any game would harm the sales at this point.

 

[Squirrel]

I shouldn't think there'd be any hindrance for SuMo based on GO's popularity. GO has built up a lot of hype for the franchise with very little downside so I'm not really sure where the diminished sales would come from? I won't repeat what everyone else has said regarding why GO will if anything probably lead to a boost in sales for SuMo, but what are your reasons for it being negative?

 

[Hiidoran]

I get where your idea is coming from, as GO seems to be the more interactive Pokémon experience many of us fans have been pining for for years. One could easily speculate that this could end up being more favorable to the console games, but I'm really thinking it won't.

The gameplay of the console games is so iconic that many loyal fans will pick up nearly every version GF and Nintendo come up with - it's just a fun recipe. There's a whole network of people into the competitive gameplay of the core games too; those players won't be satisfied with GO alone. I'm thinking the release of GO will only assuage the sales of S&M, really. So many old fans of the series brought back in by GO might decide to pick up a copy of S&M to see where the franchise has gone in their absence.

 

[EternalSushi]

I don't think Go will affect any sales of Sun & Moon.

Go has always been geared towards the more casual demographic, even those that don't own other Pokemon games. It's good as a gateway app, introducing these people into the franchise.

It's not going to work the other way around - Pokemon fans will probably get Go and still buy Sun & Moon because they obviously do different things. After getting Go, I still have the urge to buy Sun & Moon, since it's a whole new generation with an actual plotline and 3DS gameplay. I'm not saying Go is bad (in fact, I love seeing crowds on the streets catching Pokemon), but it's just quenches a different kind of thirst. If anything, it'll just boost Sun & Moon's sales. Or it won't change a thing.

 

[Lunar]

I think the majority of Pokemon fans will buy Sun and Moon and Go won't really affect that. To be honest, at the moment it seems Pokemon Go is bringing in three categories of players: Current Pokemon Fans, Nostalgic Fans and new players that are playing for the fun of it and to join the craze. Personally, I don't see nostalgic Go players picking up Sun and Moon but maybe some people might have discovered (or rediscovered) a love for Pokemon through Go and will buy SM whilst the majority of Pokemon fans will too.

I doubt Pokemon Go will harm the sales of Sun and Moon, if anything it will boost numbers and work alongside the main games.

 

[Shuhbooty]

No, I don't think it'll affect sales. Believe it or not, not all PoGo players are even that big of fans of pokemon (and that's ok) and don't even play them on consoles. Vs the avid, pokemon players.

I'll still continue to buy the games. <3 Even then, we don't even know how farm pokemon go will go for the time being.

 

[Hikamaru]

Like most of the others have said, GO bringing more people into the Pokemon franchise will likely make those newcomers want to play more Pokemon games, like Sun & Moon. Also, GO is bringing back people who haven't played Pokemon in years (and therefore have likely missed some generations) who may consider trying Sun & Moon out to see how far the franchise has come.

And as Angie said, GO is still not a finished product (but its interactivity does seem like the unofficial MMO everyone wanted) so it still has issues. If anything with GO's popularity is concerned, it will actually be more likely to boost sales for Sun & Moon rather than hinder it. Remember the two most recent generations kinda underperformed sales-wise (though XY still remains the best-selling 3DS game ever) compared to Gens 1-4.

2016 is also Pokemon's 20th anniversary so it's been a good time for people to be getting back into the franchise along with new faces discovering it as well.

 

[PokeHome .net]

Doubt it.

 

[Bounsweet]

If anything, it'll boost the sales. PoGo has reignited the Pokémon craze to such an extent that competes with the Red/Blue late 90s hype. I know someone who means to buy a used GBA so that they can play through the actual games again, since they started playing PoGo.

 

[Adamant Linoone]

For me it's only going to strengthen the potential sales of Sun & Moon. I've noticed a few of my friends who weren't particularly Pokémon fans beforehand purchase OR/AS as a result of Pokémon GO, and that's just a few of my friends..