Pokémon Go-licensed toys, games lure stronger sales

Released in late July this year in the US, and launched in Mid-August across Asia and Oceania, Pokémon Go has surpassed more than a hundred million downloads worldwide.

Toy and game manufacturers are not oblivious to this phenomena, of course. With the new Pokémon Go craze attracting more and more consumers, businesses have gotten on the bandwagon and sought out ways to drive in sales. Brick-and-mortar stores have specifically revamped their establishments to increase customer visits.

In the traditional toys and games category, for example, there has been a surge of Pokémon-themed action figures, stuffed toys, pins and puzzles. Licensed apparel specialist Bioworld Europe notes that game-related products have suddenly experienced a sharp increase in demand. Popular merchandise is not limited to toys and games, as seen by the prevalence of Pokémon-designed bedding and cutlery.

The primary target audience of character licensing are children, whose purchasing choices tend to shift quickly, thus companies have to adapt accordingly. In terms of figures, Adobe Digital Insights reports that sales of Pokémon-related merchandise rose by 91 percent just a week after the launch. This license could be the most significant toy license of the year, all things considered, including an upcoming movie that would be produced in 2017.

Pokémon Go is a location-based AR game by Niantic, Inc., free to download for Android and iOS users. As of now, it is yet to be released in countries such as India and China.