/  animation   /  Augmented Reality for Marketing- Pokemon Go

Mobile games have been implementing ads and in-app purchases to make their money on freely downloaded software since 2008. Will AR follow the same trend?

There is a new market on the block, and it’s called Augmented Reality. In a few short days Pokemon Go has turned into a world-wide sensation. It’s definitely something new and different from a normal mobile game. It displays some of the amazing things that we can now do with augmented reality technology, including the integration of high-level GPS tracking data, environmentally aware camera tracking technology and 3d animated characters together.

The next step for AR and VR tech may be the inclusion of new and different monetization features that aren’t too obstructive to users, and still make the experience of augmented reality fun while making publishers and developers money.

It’s no big leap to say that similar advertising systems will be developed for augmented reality experiences like ones that are built for mobile games now, especially if like Pokemon Go, the app is free to download and use.

Pokemon Go already includes an in-app purchase option for users.

“Enter PokéCoins, the in-game currency of Pokémon Go. Players need these coins to buy useful items, such as Poké Balls, which are needed to actually “catch” Pokémon, and for inventory upgrades. There are ways to earn coins within the flow of the game, but the quickest way is to shell out the cash. Users can pay anywhere from 99 cents for 100 PokéCoins to $99.99 for 14,500 coins.” *

Another possible avenue that developers could take to create revenue streams, and one I’m interested to see implemented, is the use of augmented reality “commercial breaks”. Or ads that appear inside the environment you’re immersed in as a backdrop to the experience itself.

There is a big possibility for better marketing analytics with the kind of data you can retrieve from augmented reality apps as well, making your marketing campaigns and ads smarter, better, faster, stronger, and more targeted particular subsets of users.

Whether using your smartphone or a virtual reality headset in the experience, the possibilities for marketing inside this new media sphere are just getting started.

As a studio with a deep history inside the game industry web development, it’s exciting to see a new market filled with creative possibilities moving forward. The future is rushing towards us, and it will be exciting.

* – Market Watch – How Pokemon Go Makes Money