Pokemon Is A Bigger Attention Hog Than Meta

Pokemon started off as a turn-based RPG game where you collected cute little monsters on February 27, 1996, and then later became a cultural sensation with time. Now, everyone all over the globe has heard of Pokemon, either because of their games, anime, movies, or merchandise. Pokemon is a lot more than just a game series now; it has become a brand.

Pokemon today has evolved into a crucial part of modern pop culture. Every app or game with the word “Pokemon” in its title breaks records and tops best-seller lists with each release. That is because of the franchise’s massive popularity and how well it has established itself in the hearts of its audience.

Nintendo, which owns The Pokemon Company, has featured a Pokemon game on each of their handheld console since Game Boy. Saying that every single one of these Pokemon games has been insanely popular would be an understatement. Even Nintendo Switch, the latest handheld console by Nintendo, has featured about 9 Pokemon games so far.

And it’s not just Nintendo’s handheld consoles; The Pokemon Company has released many specialized smartphone apps that play a significant role in making the franchise a part of your general life. It isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but how much of an influence this franchise has over our lives can be quite creepy when you think about it. Check out the following video to see how Pokemon is way ahead of Metaverse in taking over your life.

The Metaverse And Its Failure

The Metaverse was first introduced by Mark Zuckerberg, the creator of Meta, in 2014. The goal of Metaverse was to feature a digital 3D space where users can interact and do just about anything without being held back by the limitations of the real world. It intended to expand upon the already existing ideas, such as the VR Chat or Second Life.

While the Metaverse is a much more wasteful and expensive version of those aforementioned ideas, it was initially inspired by fictional concepts such as the sci-fi novel Snow Crash, which came out in 1992, and the Ready Player One novel by Ernest Cline, which came out in 2011. And while this idea may sound intriguing on paper, it wouldn’t be wrong to say that the project turned out to be a flop.

Mark intended to make the Metaverse a part of their users’ general lives. It wanted to force its way, unlike the Pokemon franchise, which was ultimately the reason for its downfall. A part of that reason is that Metaverse is not based on a logical foundation and is made by people who don’t understand their users. Making the entire project fail to deliver on what it was supposed to do.

Ultimately, no one cared about Metaverse, not even Meta itself. Recent news implies that Meta will focus more on AI now than the Metaverse. All Metaverse wanted to do was invade its users’ general lives, but what did it fail to do that the Pokemon franchise does so well? For example, imagine a Pokemon VR game. It would be an instant hit, and people would be lining up to buy the game and the console it is supposed to be played on.

How Pokemon Manages To Seep Into Our Daily Lives

Take a look at the crazy sensation Pokemon GO was when it first came out. People were genuinely committing crimes and risking their lives to catch a couple of Pokemon in the real world. Even a couple of armed robbers used the Pokemon game to lure players and rob them of their belongings. Despite all the controversy, the game was a massive success for the Pokemon franchise.

It’s not just Pokemon GO. There have been many Pokemon-related mobile apps ranging from MOBA-style games to an app specifically designed to provide you with the company of your favorite Pokemon as you sleep. Also, an app lets you talk to Pokemon if you’re feeling a little down. Heck, there’s a Pokemon-themed app for brushing your teeth.

That’s just a glimpse of how much control the Pokemon franchise has over our lives. People love Pokemon. Despite the bugs, glitches, and the absolute massacre of games GameFreak comes up with, people still love to play these games. Part of the reason behind the massive popularity of the franchise is the comfort and entertainment it brings, not to mention nostalgia.

The franchise has been ongoing for more than 25 years. It’s not just the youngest generations or kids that play Pokemon games and use Pokemon-themed apps. It wouldn’t be wrong to say that adults enjoy these games more than kids do. It is truly a franchise for people of all ages. The anime series only adds to the popularity as anyone who hasn’t played the Pokemon games has at least heard of the adventures of Ash and his Pikachu.

The Pokemon franchise has earned a place in our hearts and in our daily lives. And it’s not something that happened overnight but throughout decades. It is a feat that no other franchise or brand can achieve, not yet, at least.

Takeaway

Pokemon is one of the most popular franchises globally. Everyone has heard of it because of one reason or another, and it has become a crucial part of our daily lives throughout the years. From social media to real life, we see an image of one of these cute little monsters around, and we immediately recognize that it is a Pokemon.

Metaverse wanted to be a part of their users’ lives, just like the Pokemon franchise is. But, it failed drastically due to several reasons, one being the fact that no one actually likes Metaverse. On the other hand, people absolutely adore Pokemon. Anything that is Pokemon-themed is bound to sell like hotcakes due to the franchise’s reputation.