Pokemon Go Made a Ton of Money in 2017

Pokemon Go might not be the mobile juggarnaut it once was, but it still made a lot of money last year.

The data analysis firm SuperDataResearch estimates that Pokemon Go made over $890 million dollars in revenue in 2017, making it the ninth biggest game of the year.

For comparison's sake, Pokemon Go made an estimated $950 million in 2016, although that was only after six months after the game was released. Seeing a dip in revenue might seem like a bad sign for Pokemon Go, but Niantic CEO John Hanke noted that 2017 was all about finding a stable userbase and then keeping it happy. Judging by the fact that the game is still in the top ten in terms of revenue, it seems like Niantic and its partners should be happy with Pokemon Go's continued strong performance.

According to SuperDataResearch, Pokemon Go lags far behind games like Arena of Valor, Fantasy Westward Journey, Clash Royale and Clash of Clans, all of which made more than an estimated billion dollars last year. However, Pokemon Go's revenue was comparable to that of perennial favorite/time-suck Candy Crush Saga.

Pokemon Go had a busy 2017, in which it added tons of new Pokemon and a new money-making feature. While revenue still spikes up during monthly events, Pokemon Go also now makes money by selling Raid Passes, which allow players to participate in community battles against various powerful Pokemon. Raid Battles are currently the only way that a player can capture a Legendary Pokemon, most of which are only available for a limited amount of time.

The game's continuous evolution is also help keeping many players invested in the game. In late November, Pokemon Go introduced a dynamic weather system and a new AR feature to tweak gameplay for users. They also started a monthly Community Day mini-event that could be a way to give players something to look forward to each month.

Pokemon Go may have dipped in sales in 2017, but it was still one of the 10 biggest mobile games of the year. However, the game's developers have work to do if they want to ensure that the game remains in the top ten in 2018.