McDonald’s the Biggest Winner of Pokemon GO’s Japan Launch? Michael Kwan July 22, 2016 News When Pokemon GO first launched a few weeks ago, I was really surprised to see that Japan wasn’t included as part of the initial foray. This is where Pokemon started! In fact, the game even launched in Canada officially before it made its way back home. As excited as all the Pokemon fans in Japan might be, the bigger winner here wears big red shoes and dons a frilly red afro. McDonald’s is cashing in on the Pokemon GO trend in a very big way. The purveyor of the Big Mac and Chicken McNuggets signed on to become the first official sponsor of Pokemon GO, starting first in Japan. If you were to visit any of the nearly 3,000 golden-arched fast food joints in Japan, you’d be able to discover a treasure trove of Pokemon GO items, as well as the opportunity to battle against your fellow players. This represents the first real sponsorship in Pokemon GO and it could produce some sizable revenue for developer Niantic and publisher Nintendo. Just because McDonald’s is spending money doesn’t mean it’s losing money. In fact, share prices surged on the news, hitting a 15-year high. Nintendo’s stock enjoyed a similar uptick. Whether you’re chowing down on milkshakes and french fries or you’re wandering the cosplay-filled streets of Harajuku, remember to stay safe out there. You gotta catch ’em all if you want to be the very best, but that doesn’t mean you should walk blindly into the busy traffic of Shibuya. Via WSJ, CBC Share This With The World!
