Over the years, the game has sometimes been a victim of its own hype and global appeal.
Police and safety groups once warned players not to become so engrossed in catching the next Psyduck that they got lost or put themselves in danger.
The game’s immense popularity sometimes also meant “servers buckled under the strain”, said Reynolds, meaning connectivity problems were “rife for some time”.
And while the pandemic was seen as a boon for many in the video game industry, Steranka says the initial strict lockdowns “impacted Pokémon Go probably more than any other game out there”.
The game later bounced back as restrictions eased and people once again looked for reasons to get outside.
Then in 2025, some fans questioned how the game’s future might change when Scopely – which is itself owned by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, bought developer Niantic for $3.5bn (then £2.7bn).
“My hope is that we prove to players over time that this is definitively a good thing for the game and the community,” Steranka says.
Looking ahead, Steranka says the focus for the game remains on community, memories and creating experiences families can share.
“No matter where I was and what phase of my life, Pokémon Go has been there for me,” he says.
“It meets people where they are, at whatever phase of life they’re in.”
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