Pokémon Go’s April revenue its lowest in five years

It has been reported that Niantic's mobile hit has experienced its worst financial month since February 2018, with monthly revenue of $34.7 million.

The details:

• Pokémon Go was the 12th highest-grossing mobile game in April, bringing in $34.7 million, according to mobilegamer.biz data. This is a significant decrease from the $42.8 million in March, and even more so from the $57.9 million in February. The drop may not be immediately alarming to most, as the title's monthly revenue is dependent on various in-game events bringing in players and in-game purchases; however, the 40% reduction is still significant when compared to usual.
• In 2022, the game brought in an average of $58 million per month, for a total of $703 million, so April's numbers are a substantial drop from what is expected of the AR title. Despite the decline, the game is unlikely to "die" anytime soon, as its live service structure means future updates could draw many players back into the community if there's something worthwhile to play. Still, Niantic may need to make some highly requested changes to win back some of its playerbase.
• The exact cause of the drop is unknown, though some speculate that changes to the in-game remote raid pass may be to blame, with Niantic increasing the price of the passes and limiting the number of them to five per day at the end of March. Players have spoken out against the change, claiming that after the item was introduced in 2020 due to a global pandemic, the passes became extremely useful for players who wanted to participate in raids but were not near a raid location, such as those with disabilities.

More mobile gaming news:

• Capcom and Niantic have joined forces to create Monster Hunter Now, a mobile AR title where players will need to visit real-life locations to hunt down various monsters with other people. The game is currently in a closed beta stage and is set to release in September 2023.
• Shigeru Miyamoto has stated that mobile-only Mario games will not be the series' "primary path" in the future. Previous mobile games including the Italian plumber were a mixed bag, with the most recent release, Mario Kart Tour, receiving criticism for its microtransaction model.
• Ten Square Games, a Polish mobile publisher, has confirmed that it will cut 120 jobs, or 25% of its workforce, as well as cancel two of its games, Undead Clash and Fishing Masters, to cut costs.