Pokémon GO Ends Its Reign as the Top Grossing U.S. iPhone App After 74 Days

Key insights

6 takeaways

01
Pokémon GO ended its 74-day streak as the top-grossing U.S. iPhone app after being unseated by Supercell’s Clash Royale following a content update.
02
In terms of consecutive days at the top of the U.S. iPhone grossing chart, Pokémon GO ranks third behind Clash of Clans (347 days) and Candy Crush Saga (109 days).
03
Despite losing the top spot in the U.S., Pokémon GO remained the number one grossing iPhone app in eight other countries and maintained the top position on the U.S. Google Play store.
04
Pokémon GO’s 74-day run was significantly longer than the 15-day streak of the 10th-ranked game, The Simpsons: Tapped Out, and outperformed non-gaming apps like Pandora (20 days) and Spotify (18 days).
05
While Niantic introduced engagement-focused features like buddy Pokémon, the report notes that the game had not yet released major content updates, such as new Pokémon, to drive further player spending.
06
During its first two months of availability, Pokémon GO generated more than $400 million in gross revenue.

Summary

Pokémon GO concluded a 74-day streak as the top-grossing iPhone application in the United States in September 2016. The game was displaced by Supercell’s Clash Royale, which experienced a surge in player spending following a significant content update. While Pokémon GO achieved notable financial success, including over $400 million in revenue during its first two months, its consecutive run at the top of the U.S. App Store rankings places it third historically, trailing Clash of Clans at 347 days and Candy Crush Saga at 109 days.

The analysis utilizes historical ranking data from the App Intelligence platform to contextualize the performance of top-grossing mobile applications. Beyond the top three, the data highlights that Pokémon GO outperformed other notable titles, such as The Simpsons: Tapped Out, which held the top spot for 15 days. The study also notes that non-gaming apps, specifically Pandora and Spotify, have demonstrated the ability to maintain top-grossing positions for extended periods, reaching 20 and 18 consecutive days, respectively.

Despite losing the top spot in the U.S. iPhone market, Pokémon GO maintained its position as the highest-grossing iPhone app in eight other countries and remained the top-grossing app on U.S. Google Play. While Niantic implemented engagement-focused updates, such as the buddy Pokémon feature, the absence of major content additions like new Pokémon species limited the potential for sustained peak spending. The findings underscore the volatility of mobile app revenue rankings and the critical role of frequent content updates in maintaining market leadership.