Sponsored locations soon in Pokémon Go

While storeowners are dropping pokémon lures to increase traffic to their respective businesses, Niantic is talking about adding a new revenue stream for the company in the form of “sponsored locations.”

According to a report on Tech Crunch, Ninatic CEO John Hanke said that in addition to in-app purchases of power-ups and virtual items, sponsored locations will provide another option for revenue generation. Companies and retailers would be given opportunity to be featured on the game’s map as a local landmark.

This same revenue model was also implemented in Ninatic’s other augmented reality game, Ingress. Some of the companies that invested in this include convenience store chain Lawson and Tokyo Mitsubishi Bank in Japan, as well the Jamba Juice café chain, Duance Raede pharmacy and Zipcar car-rental service.

Advertisers will be charged on a “cost per visit” basis similar to how Google charges on the “cost per click” model.  Alfred Bayle

source: technology.inquirer.net

Pokémon Go to let players swap pokémon soon

Addicted players of the viral smartphone game Pokémon Go can expect more reforms and exciting twists, such as allowing them to trade pokémons with each other.

In a report by Tech Insider, Niantic CEO John Hanke said that players could soon trade monsters to encourage them to cooperate in both virtual and real worlds.

“It’s kind of a core element,” Hanke said.

Also, Hanke divulged that virtual Pokémon Go “trainers”  would soon experience more ways to use Pokéstops and Gyms, which are landmarks designed for item restock.

Hanke also revealed that Pokémon Go would soon showcase a “global leadership scoreboard” that tallies all the world’s “valedictorian” and “salutatorian” players of the game. This will come side by side with the launch of Pokémon Go on other augmented reality (AR) devices, such as wearable gadgets.

“That may be a fun thing to take advantage of,” Hanke told the news site.

Pokémon Go aced both iOS and Android platforms despite its launch in a few ‘”favored” countries including Australia, the US and New Zealand.  Gianna Francesca Catolico

source: technology.inquirer.net