Pokemon Go is a hit, and not just among consumers. Video game retailer GameStop is also reaping the benefits of the augmented reality monster collection craze with 100% increases in sales at some stores.
It might be disrupting holocaust memorials, causing massive car accidents, and contributing to a new level of distraction-related injuries, but Pokemon Go is also making a whole lot of money for everyone involved. As Nintendo stock skyrockets over the course of the game’s rolling regional launches, GameStop has managed to grab a piece of the action.
CEO Paul Raines was very pleased by the breakout success of Nintendo’s newest iteration on the Pokemon franchise while talking to CNBC. In a “slower time of the year” for video game sales, GameStop has taken advantage of the mobile title’s popularity. 462 store locations — those functioning as “PokeStops” — have bolstered sales by at least 100% due to the sudden traffic increase. As “the largest distributor of Pokemon games and collectibles in the world,” Raines says that their sales are “rocketing.”
Monday saw a 6.8% stock price increase, and Raines doesn’t anticipate those numbers flagging any time soon. They’ll continue “taking advantage” of the gains from Pokemon Go and the upcoming fall season of releases to try and hold onto that lead. GameStop has hosted “family events” based on the title already, and competition seems like a probable outlet for attracting trainers over the long term.
And if you need a laugh, make sure to check out the excerpt of the interview to watch the CNBC correspondent repeatedly ask why GameStop hasn’t literally gotten themselves into the game itself, while Raines misinterprets the odd query as a metaphor about competition in the mobile industry. It’s good fun, without the risk of tripping over a corpse.
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