The DeanBeat: Where Pokémon Go should go next

Niantic Labs is riding a rocket, generating an estimated $200 million in revenue in its first month with Pokémon Go. It grew faster to 10 million downloads (in just seven days) than hits like Clash Royale, Candy Crush Saga, and Angry Birds 2. It is on a path to be the most successful mobile game of all time in the $36 billion mobile game industry, and it just became the top mobile game in the most countries world.

This success is a remarkable achievement that was years in the making. John Hanke, CEO of Niantic, spoke at our GamesBeat 2016 conference last week where he signaled the thinking behind the creation of Pokémon Go and future plans for the game. All eyes are on him. What he does next can make the difference between creating an even bigger cultural phenomenon or screwing up a good thing. Hanke hasn’t asked my advice. But I’ve been absorbing what he said, and I have thoughts on where this could go next, and where it should go.