'Pokémon Go' Sees Sales, Download Increase After Gen 2 Pokémon Release

Pokémon Go is back — at least for now. Pokémon Go is currently the top-grossing app in Apple’s App Store, according to a report from Axios.

The game’s rise up the charts was spurred by the long-awaited release of Gen 2 Pokémon last week, which also helped bring a fresh wave of attention and in-game sales for the mobile game. As of this writing, the app is at 21st on Apple’s Top Free Apps list and per App Annie, it’s also the third-biggest grossing title for Google Android users. As Axios notes, the game has already grossed an estimated $23 million in February so far according to analysts Mobile Action. Within the game, you can use real money to purchase in-game currency that can be used for items or upgrades.

For developer Niantic, the news is a likely relief after a mostly smooth rollout of Pokémon Go’s most substantial update since its launch last summer. The launch of Gen 2 Pokémon, which are from older titles Pokémon Gold and Pokémon Silver, brought more than 80 new Pokémon into the game, along with additional updates like new evolution items and catching mechanics. The update has also been a regular point of discussion among Pokémon Go fans, who’ve often dug into unexpected places for tips and clues. In the code of a regular January app update, fans found mentions of many of the features included in last week’s update.

But what comes next for Pokémon Go? Realistically, the game likely won’t reach the peaks of its initial summer launch, where it hit on a perfect combination of novelty and timing among users, but it’s far from an albatross for Niantic. According to analysts Sensor Tower, the game broke more than $1 billion in worldwide gross revenue in January.

The larger question for Niantic is whether or not users drawn back to Pokémon Go from the Gen 2 update will continue to stick with the title. While the developer has held sporadic seasonal promotions like its Valentine’s Day and Christmas events, the Gen 2 drop is slated to be the first of several major updates slated for Pokémon Go. In February, Niantic CEO John Hanke confirmed that features like trading and player-versus-player combat would come to the game this year.