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Pokemon Go Game Discussion - Opportunities?

ApparentHorizon

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IMHO making any merch for pokemon go players, especially ones that even remotely tread on tradmarks, is a short-term, non-sustainable, borderline-unethical money grab play.

The person who will make the most money from that kind of play are those that seek the right copyrights AND make amazing products.

True of any biz that relies on another company for their only revenue stream. The SEO guys from back in the day know this all too well.

Don't forget great marketing
 
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Mr.Chaos

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IMHO making any merch for pokemon go players, especially ones that even remotely tread on tradmarks, is a short-term, non-sustainable, borderline-unethical money grab play.

The person who will make the most money from that kind of play are those that seek the right copyrights AND make amazing products.


I'll take ethical money grab for 400 Alex
 

biophase

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There is a story circulating online of a gym that is located in the water. Some girls kayaked all the way out to claim it. Now if you are the owner of a kayak rental place around there, you could literally advertise the gym and get more rentals just because those people want to claim the hard to reach gym.

There's a video on youtube called world's toughest gym. I think it's the same one.
 
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AgainstAllOdds

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I like the game and the idea of people going out and meeting new people. But a 7-page thread, where half the posts are devoted to business ideas built around Pokemon? That's frightening.

Think about every small business that sprouted in the late 90's around Pokemon. Where are they now? Out of business.

Building a business around a fad is like building a straw house in the Caribbean, and then wondering when a hurricane blows it over.
 

InnovateDesign

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I like the game and the idea of people going out and meeting new people. But a 7-page thread, where half the posts are devoted to business ideas built around Pokemon? That's frightening.

Think about every small business that sprouted in the late 90's around Pokemon. Where are they now? Out of business.

Building a business around a fad is like building a straw house in the Caribbean, and then wondering when a hurricane blows it over.

I totally agree, this Pokemon GO hype will blow over soon enough, unless of course you build a quick little business which doesn't require much effort or resources and make money in the time that it is a fad.
 

Plank

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Damn, I just gotta say I love how y'alls minds work. I feel like I have been walking around for 35 years with my eyes sealed shut. This game came out and first thing I thought was "meh" then overheard something about it being played so much folks were getting in wrecks and getting hurt, and thought "Morons" You guys see the same stuff and start thinking "Money" "Millions of people" "How can I turn this into an advantage" You guys kickass!
 
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RHL

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Another overnight success story:

q2zzr71.png
 

splok

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Nintendo has had a staunch view that they are a "console" company (for reasons I can't fully understand)
...
Yes they have great franchises, but you can't ignore that Nintendo hasn't innovated on new characters and franchises in decades. Pokemon is the most recent franchise it created -- in Feb 1996 over 20 years ago.
...
But Nintendo has been incredibly focused on milking 20+ year old franchises and ideas and stopped putting the focus on innovation around the IP and focused on relatively weak innovations in technology (e.g. annoying Wii remotes running on "meh" graphics consoles).
...
Nintendo needs something just as dramatic, and based on their previous decisions, I am not sure they have the chops to make it. My hope is that an innovative company like Niantic takes over the licenses and continues to make great games around them, and innovate on new ideas where Nintendo fell off.

How is it hard to understand why Nintendo is a console-focused company? Here are the sales of their consoles in millions of units. They did obviously screw the pooch with the Wii U, but their "annoying Wii remotes and meh graphics" moved over 100 million consoles (while actually being profitable on the sale of every unit, while Xbox/PS lost money on each sale for at least a year).

DS/3DS - 213 Million
Game Boy/Color/Advance - 201 Million
Wii - 101 Million
NES - 62 Million
SNES - 49 Million
N64 - 33 Million
Gamecube - 22 Million
Wii U - 13 Million

As long as enough people are willing to drop hundreds of dollars on a console and 60+ dollars per game, there are going to be console companies. How many app companies post multi-billion yearly revenue numbers? and do so continuously for years (http://amigobulls.com/stocks/NTDOY/income-statement/annual). I don't see the clamoring for Xbox and Playstation changing to a mobile strategy. Why chain yourself to someone else's platform when you own your own?

Also, they do create new IPs (http://nintendoenthusiast.com/article/the-15-new-nintendo-ips-this-generation/), but obviously the existing, well-known/nostalgic ones get the vast majority of the attention.

Having said that, I'm not sure if their strategy holds out in the long-term, mainly because I'm not sure how much longer people will be willing to spend hundreds of dollars for the console experience. However, they're absolutely right that mobile is devaluing the F*ck out of games.
 
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seanjohn

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Eh, I doubt that consoles are going away anytime soon. The PS4 is outpacing the PS2 in sales, which is the best selling console of all time.
I can't see people wanting to play Battlefield or FIFA on a smartphone. Consoles are more social and immersive.

Nintendo is a software company in denial, though. Wii Sports is THE reason why the Wii sold so well.
Software sells hardware. Just ask Apple.
 

seanjohn

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Sure, but which is Apple making?
Both, but arguably Apple creates the software first as was the case with the Macintosh and iOS.
Otherwise they'd be another Dell.

iOS sold the iPhone. People were amazed with what the iPhone software could do. YouTube and Google Maps in my pocket? Sold!
 
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splok

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YouTube and Google Maps in my pocket? Sold!

Right, neither of which are Apple's software, nor were they built for the iPhone. However, Apple made the hardware that put it in your pocket.

Just consider how much revenue Apple makes from hardware versus what they make from their app store. Of course, the app store ecosystem has helped make the hardware useful. It's also made some number of software developers pretty wealthy, but the real money in mobile (and video games) goes to the platform holders.
 

Mr.Chaos

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Right, neither of which are Apple's software, nor were they built for the iPhone. However, Apple made the hardware that put it in your pocket.

Just consider how much revenue Apple makes from hardware versus what they make from their app store. Of course, the app store ecosystem has helped make the hardware useful. It's also made some number of software developers pretty wealthy, but the real money in mobile (and video games) goes to the platform holders.


Apple is fairly unique they sell both well. Apple is known for the fluidity and simplicity of IOS backed by their premium hardware and superior marketing. Take away either one and I doubt people would feel the same way about their iphones.
 

csalvato

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How is it hard to understand why Nintendo is a console-focused company? Here are the sales of their consoles in millions of units. They did obviously screw the pooch with the Wii U, but their "annoying Wii remotes and meh graphics" moved over 100 million consoles (while actually being profitable on the sale of every unit, while Xbox/PS lost money on each sale for at least a year).

DS/3DS - 213 Million
Game Boy/Color/Advance - 201 Million
Wii - 101 Million
NES - 62 Million
SNES - 49 Million
N64 - 33 Million
Gamecube - 22 Million
Wii U - 13 Million

As long as enough people are willing to drop hundreds of dollars on a console and 60+ dollars per game, there are going to be console companies. How many app companies post multi-billion yearly revenue numbers? and do so continuously for years (http://amigobulls.com/stocks/NTDOY/income-statement/annual). I don't see the clamoring for Xbox and Playstation changing to a mobile strategy. Why chain yourself to someone else's platform when you own your own?

Also, they do create new IPs (http://nintendoenthusiast.com/article/the-15-new-nintendo-ips-this-generation/), but obviously the existing, well-known/nostalgic ones get the vast majority of the attention.

Having said that, I'm not sure if their strategy holds out in the long-term, mainly because I'm not sure how much longer people will be willing to spend hundreds of dollars for the console experience. However, they're absolutely right that mobile is devaluing the F*ck out of games.

I understand *why* they are still a console company. It's the same reason why most businesses stagnate - they see what's making money and focus on that, even if it means watching their industry die a slow death.

I get it, go where you know the money is. But you also need to innovate. Amazon could have stayed a book company. They branched out into other eCommerce and innovated there. Then innovated in the managed hosting and server space. Then innovated in reading technology. Then innovated in creating market places. They kept innovating on new big ideas.

Nintendo is not doing that. Not even close.

Right, neither of which are Apple's software, nor were they built for the iPhone. However, Apple made the hardware that put it in your pocket.

Just consider how much revenue Apple makes from hardware versus what they make from their app store. Of course, the app store ecosystem has helped make the hardware useful. It's also made some number of software developers pretty wealthy, but the real money in mobile (and video games) goes to the platform holders.

IMHO this is a complete apples to oranges comparison. Apple and Nintendo have incredibly different models and the similarities end at the point that they both make hardware and software.

IMHO, comparing Nintendo's unpopular new franchises and weak innovations in the gaming console space to the pervasiveness of smartphones is misguided.
 
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seanjohn

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Right, neither of which are Apple's software, nor were they built for the iPhone. However, Apple made the hardware that put it in your pocket.

Just consider how much revenue Apple makes from hardware versus what they make from their app store. Of course, the app store ecosystem has helped make the hardware useful. It's also made some number of software developers pretty wealthy, but the real money in mobile (and video games) goes to the platform holders.

Actually, both the YouTube and Google Maps iPhone apps were both developed in-house at Apple. Google's only involvement was providing the API's. You probably don't remember Google Maps on phones in 2005... it was pretty crappy and unusable software. You couldn't even watch YouTube on a phone then.

Case in point: Go watch Apple's iPhone ads from 2007. They're not saying "wow, look at how beautiful this hardware is!"
They're saying "its the full internet on a phone." "All of YouTube in your pocket." Software.

Even Steve Jobs said that "Apple is a software company."

Apple's software is why Apple can sell hundreds of millions of iPhones. Without the App Store (software), iPhone would be a niche phone.
They would still be ruled by carriers and their crappy apps.

Which is also why the Wii U flopped. It only started selling more recently because of Mario Kart 8. Apparently Nintendo didn't learn from their mistakes from the Gamecube -- their launch titles sucked -- and now they're paying dearly.
 

splok

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Actually, both the YouTube and Google Maps iPhone apps were both developed in-house at Apple. Google's only involvement was providing the API's. You probably don't remember Google Maps on phones in 2005... it was pretty crappy and unusable software. You couldn't even watch YouTube on a phone then.

Case in point: Go watch Apple's iPhone ads from 2007. They're not saying "wow, look at how beautiful this hardware is!"
They're saying "its the full internet on a phone." "All of YouTube in your pocket." Software.

Even Steve Jobs said that "Apple is a software company."

Apple's software is why Apple can sell hundreds of millions of iPhones. Without the App Store (software), iPhone would be a niche phone.
They would still be ruled by carriers and their crappy apps.

Which is also why the Wii U flopped. It only started selling more recently because of Mario Kart 8. Apparently Nintendo didn't learn from their mistakes from the Gamecube -- their launch titles sucked -- and now they're paying dearly.

If you're ok calling a company that makes all it's revenue from hardware sales a software company, then ok, I won't chase that any further since it's tangential to the point of the thread. I'm not sure what you're saying about Nintendo's future strategy though. If it's just "make better games", then great, I agree!

Though I would add "stop imposing stupid gimmicks" which is one of the key reasons the Wii U failed imo. The 2nd screen functionality was just poorly conceived and implemented. If they had moved their entire 2nd screen concept to optionally use smartphones as screens/controllers, it would have dramatically improved sales. Even using DSs as controllers would have been a better idea than the stupid brick of a controller that it launched with (and would have also increased DS sales).
 

ApparentHorizon

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lol how do i contact Digimon creators for the rights to create Digimon Go! :p

I feel like i could almost make a copycat app in unity3d.
there's a map plugin
https://www.assetstore.unity3d.com/en/#!/content/13261
and even a guide lol

That video is terrible, but you're onto something.

What if you pitched to Digimon and Yahoo? Both are the underdogs, but if PokemonGO is making something like $1.3m/day, then even 10% of that can allow you to retire.
 

luniac

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That video is terrible, but you're onto something.

What if you pitched to Digimon and Yahoo? Both are the underdogs, but if PokemonGO is making something like $1.3m/day, then even 10% of that can allow you to retire.

The thing is:
Im confident i can implement the camera in the background, digimon in foreground gimick .
I'm pretty confident i can do the gameplay stuff.
Im generally confident i can implement the map.

I have zero confidence in the networking part of the app. that would stump me in an unprofessional manner.

EDIT:
now i could totally hire a network developer if we get funded.

but i got another problem, im a single entity i don't even have a registered LLC.
lol if i make a app design and pitch it to them, won't they laugh at me and just do it themselves with a big app developer team.

hmm unless i do it for cheaper... hmmm
 
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ApparentHorizon

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lol if i make a app design and pitch it to them, won't they laugh at me and just do it themselves with a big app developer team.

Yahoo!'s valuation has only grown from their Alibaba IPO. They haven't done anything in the past few years to grow value for their viewers, which they couldn't get elsewhere.

Hell, at one point they alienated their entire desktop base by implementing retina-only fonts.

Do they have money? Yep. Do they have a vision? Nope. They've been hanging on by a thread...

Fill that gap, not just with a newly successful app, but with other ideas you see posted on this forum daily. You'll be the CEO of Y! in no time.
 

luniac

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sigh... ok brb, gotta go register my LLC :p
 

Fran_Montoya

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Pokémon Go is an interesting phenomenon. I'm not sure what to call it. It fits in way nicer with location-aware apps like Zombie, Run, or Ingress than anything most people would consider a "game." From what I've seen, it's mostly remarkably barren and unbelievably buggy — but it doesn't seem to matter. Pokémon Go is the fantasy of Pokémon, 20 years ago, made "real." Through that, it quickly spread to people way outside of gaming, and now that lack of "gameness" has turned into a major advantage. It's a reminder of how monolithic gaming still seems to the world at large — the idea that Pokémon Go is not a game means more people are trying it, and the lack of gaming's typical direct competition and lack of jargon and accessibility in the main core loop allowed it to grow everywhere.
 
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csalvato

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From revolutionary, captivating game to complete shit-show in less than a month.

https://www.reddit.com/r/pokemongo/comments/4vgex1/rage_megathread_no_steps_edition/

Amazing lessons here for entrepreneurs of all levels, IMHO.

Here's an example quote:

"I don't understand what this game is trying to be. You can't be a game about hunting Pokemon without the ability to track Pokemon. You can't be a game about building a large collection of Pokemon with such a limited number of Pokemon available region by region. You can't be a game about building a Pokemon team without a leveling system, I abandoned my starter instantly which is blasphemy in the Pokemon world. You can't be a game about Pokemon battling when there is no PvP and the gyms are vastly stronger than most casual players could ever dream to be.
What a waste of one of the most desired apps in history. Everyone is complaining about the glitches but even if everything functioned perfectly I still think the game is poorly designed. The CP system is especially bad since there is no point to collecting or naming your pokemon, they'll always be turned into candy before you actually do anything with them :("
 
G

Guest34764

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This will be a flop.

Their market is people truly dedicated to Pokemon Go, and probably very young adults/kids.

It's just a fad right now, so I don't see them making any sales.That's if they can finish the prototype in time before there's a new AR game to take the pedestal.

EDIT: Plus they look ugly as hell.
 
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nichiseven

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Niantic, why? You had such a good thing going for yourselves. I saw this online and thought they hit the nail on the head. The refunds thread is going strong.
 

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luniac

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