'Pokemon Go' developer receives $20 million from Nintendo, The Pokemon Company and Google

"Pokémon Go” Plus devices that will be compatible with "Pokémon Go” Pokemon official website

When “Pokemon Go” was announced as one of the first mobile games from Nintendo, fans were not only excited to play it, but they also felt that it would be one of the biggest titles ever. It seems like they weren’t the only ones who felt this way, as Nintendo, Google and The Pokemon Company have invested in the game and gave its developer Niantic US$20 million (AU$27.45 million).

That’s a lot of money to invest into a mobile game, but considering how the title was advertised to fans young and old, it’s easy to see why the companies would want to be part of it. Apparently, Niantic will also gain another US$10 million (AU$ 13.72 million) if “Pokemon Go” reaches certain “milestones,” according to Game Informer.

The milestones have yet to be identified, though speculations suggest that they're sales-related. They could reportedly also be related to downloading, considering how companies have bragged about their free-to-play titles reaching a certain amount of downloads.

While the support from Nintendo and the Pokemon Company isn’t surprising, Google's involvement is fairly interesting. Developer Niantic was originally part of Google and even worked on a hit indie game with the company called “Ingress,” according to Pocket Gamer. Though Niantic is no longer part of Google, it seems like the developers left on good terms, considering that Google has invested millions of dollars in their “Pokemon” game.

It’s easy enough to claim that Niantic will take over the world when “Pokemon Go” is released. Few franchises connect with kids and adults as much as “Pokemon,” with the possible exception of Disney/Pixar films and maybe even “Adventure Time” or “Gravity Falls.”

“Pokemon” continues to be one of the most dominant kid franchises in the world. Many claimed that it was only a fad, but its popularity remains until now. The anime is still ongoing, and numerous "Pokemon" games have been released, most of which have sold well, including the most recent “Omega Ruby” and “Alpha Sapphire.”

Though "Pokemon Go" is yet to be released, the world has apparently gone crazy for the game. Fans everywhere reportedly can’t stop talking about it, and with three major companies having invested $20 million in the title, it’s safe to say that “Pokemon Go” is set to be a surefire hit.

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