Upcoming Pokémon Game on Nintendo Switch Hopes to Capture Huge Mobile Fan Base of 'Pokémon Go' The developer of the upcoming 'Pokémon Let's Go' is incentivizing players of the smartphone phenomenon to become customers of the Nintendo console.

By Stephen J. Bronner Edited by Dan Bova

Nintendo

Pokémon Go released on mobile platforms on July 6, 2016. It wasn't long before the augmented reality game became a global phenomenon, with more than 800 million downloads as of December 2017.

Soon, Nintendo, the publisher of Pokémon games on its consoles (the IP is owned and managed by The Pokémon Company), will see whether these mobile gamers will convert into customers of its Switch platform. The company on Nov. 16 will release two versions of Pokémon Let's Go, a new entry in its long running line of role playing games featuring critters such as Pikachu and Charmander. It will be the first Pokémon game to be released on Switch and will also integrate with the mobile game.

Related: 3 Major Marketing Insights From Pokemon Go

"Our main objective with entering into mobile has been to expand the overall Nintendo business," a Nintendo of America spokesperson tells Entrepreneur. "More specifically, we are aiming to maximize the number of people that have access to Nintendo IP and, thus, to further expand the gaming population."

Image credit: Nintendo

The company has already released several mobile games based on its properties, including Super Mario Run, Fire Emblem Heroes and Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp. Two games featuring Mario -- Super Mario Odyssey and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe -- are the two highest selling Nintendo games on the Switch.

Most of the highest selling games on the 3DS platform feature Pokemon. While these titles are for more experienced players, the upcoming Pokémon Let's Go, developed by Game Freak inc, is taking a different approach.

"With the launch of Pokémon Go in 2016 and the global sensation that ensued, millions of new players were introduced to the world of Pokémon," said Junichi Masuda, director at Game Freak inc, in a press release. "For many people, Pokémon Go was their first experience with the Pokémon brand, so we have crafted these two new titles to be an accessible entry point to our core RPG series while giving our longtime fans a new way to play Pokémon."

Related: 3 Amazing Effects of Pokémon Go, Which Is Now a Year Old

The games, set for release on Nov. 16 for $59.99 each or bundled with a controller resembling a Poké Ball for $99.99, will integrate Pokémon Go by allowing players to transfer captured Pokémon from the mobile game onto the Nintendo Switch. In the game, players will guide a trainer, capturing pokémon after turn-based battles, then challenging in-game characters.

The integration with Pokémon Go is a smart way to both reward player investment and incentivize mobile users to buy in to the Switch platform.
Stephen J. Bronner

Entrepreneur Staff

News Director

Stephen J. Bronner writes mostly about packaged foods. His weekly column is The Digest. He is very much on top of his email.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Growing a Business

7 AI Tools That Help You Build a One-Person Business — and Make Money While You Sleep

Who needs a team? These seven AI tools let you automate everything, scale like a beast and reclaim your time.

Business Ideas

70 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2025

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2025.

Money & Finance

Make Money on Autopilot With These 5 Smart Passive Income Ideas

Five innovative ways to earn money even when you're sleeping.

Business News

Microsoft Created an Ad Using AI and No One Picked Up On It: 'Saved 90% of the Time and Cost'

Are AI-generated ads indistinguishable from human-created ones?

Business News

Meta Lays Off an Unspecified Number of Virtual Reality Division Employees: 'Deeply Saddened'

Meta's Supernatural virtual reality fitness app is reducing the number of workouts it releases per week as a result of the layoffs.