- Niantic revealed new Monster Hunter Now and Pokémon Go stats for National Walking Day
- It shows how their players use their games to get outdoors
- Niantic wants to encourage players to get out and move more
Niantic wants it You go out and walk. Big surprise there, right? Well, it's not just because it's the main selling point of their games. As part of National Walking Day in the US, Niantic revealed stats on how its flagship game has helped players get outside and outdoors!
The developer has revealed new statistics for Pokémon Go, which reveal some interesting facts. Apparently, 65% of gamers say the game has helped them exercise more, 57% say it has improved their fitness, and a whopping 75% say it has helped them build friendships and social connections.
It can be easy to ignore the social appeal of games like Pokémon Go, but these statistics remind us that the AR aspect isn't just a casual feature, it's a major selling point for many. And as much as some may scoff at the idea that Pokémon Go was what people needed to make friends, it still proves that it can have a positive effect.
These boots were made for walking
Unfortunately, we don't have additional stats for Niantic's other games, but I'd hazard a guess that they would be similar to those provided here. While vague, they offer an indication of how important the social aspect of the Pokémon Go games has been and why I feel some other AR games have been left behind since few other series translate so naturally into community-facing events .
Want to see what other great games have caught our attention? So why not move on to the latest installment of our regular column on the five best new mobile games to try this week?
Better yet, you can always check out our mega list of the best mobile games of 2024 (so far) for more options.