Question: After being the top-grossing U.S. iPhone app for over 2 months, Pokemon Go is losing the top position to new games. However, estimates are that 1 in 10 smartphone owners are still laying in the U.S., but in Japan the number of players are 1 in 4. The 30-day retention rate is the second best in the Google Play store and it has earned as estimated $500 million in only a few months.
New features allow players to pair up with a Pokémon to earn game currency. There is also a new Apple Watch app along with a wearable device, named Pokémon Go Plus, which lights up and vibrates when the player gets near a Pokestop or a new Pokémon.
The question now facing the company is how to keep the game alive.
Recall the stages of the product life cycle (PLC) and the marketing objectives for each stage. Where does Pokémon Go fit in the PLC and what are the corresponding marketing objectives? Explain.