Pokemon Go Surpasses One Billion Downloads

Pokemon Go has reached a new milestone. Earlier this week, Pokemon Go's Japanese YouTube channel announced that the game had surpassed one billion downloads - a prestigious mark for a mobile game. While Pokemon Go's popularity peaked early - the game surpassed 500 million downloads just two months after its release - the fact that it hit one billion downloads speaks to the game's enduring popularity. One key to Pokemon Go's continued success is Niantic's dedication to adding new content on a regular basis. Since the game's initial launch in July 2016, Pokemon Go has added several hundred Pokemon, Raids, PvP, Legendary Pokemon, and most recently a recurring nemesis in Team Rocket. It's clear that the game has evolved substantially since its initial release.

It helps that Pokemon Go has a dedicated fanbase - players still gather in public areas during monthly events to capture rare Pokemon and battle in gyms. And although games are rewarded for playing frequently, it's still a game that can be played at spare moments.

Currently, Pokemon Go is in the middle of a major Team Rocket invasion, with Team Rocket Grunts taking over PokeStops with Shadow Pokemon. Players can battle Team Rocket Grunts and then capture their Shadow Pokemon in order to purify them. This appears to be a permanent feature and could lead to even bigger storylines down the road. Pokemon Go has teased that Team Rocket leader Giovanni could appear as a future boss down the road.

Pokemon Go remains free-to-play and is available on iOS and Android devices. The game even features a new "Special Research" quest designed to help new or returning players catch up to dedicated players.

Are you still playing Pokemon Go? Let us know in the comment section or find me on Twitter at @CHofferCbus to chat all things Pokemon!