Pokémon Go is popular, to say the least.
At Apple’s media event today in San Francisco, Niantic Labs CEO John Hanke said that Pokémon Go has been downloaded more than 500 million times since debuting in early July.
He also said that Pokémon Go users — a.k.a. “trainers” — have walked more than 4.6 billion kilometers (2.8 billion miles) while playing with the app.
Those are massive usage numbers, but it’s not too surprising given the game’s huge launch — perhaps one of the best of all time — and gigantic following.
Pokémon Go was created by developer Niantic in partnership with Nintendo and The Pokémon Co. Nintendo has a large stake in Pokémon and works closely on the flagship franchise. The app is free to download for Android and iOS, but it also features in-app purchases.
The game lets players hunt for virtual creatures from Nintendo’s Pokémon universe in real physical space, thanks to the augmented-reality and GPS capabilities that are available on today’s smartphones.
Niantic also announced today that Pokémon Go will come to the Apple Watch, allowing people to play the game without having to open the app on their smartphone. Using the Apple Watch app, trainers will be able to see nearby Pokémon, be alerted when Pokémon appear, access fitness stats like kilometers walked and calories burned, and interact with Pokéstops.
It’s similar to the yet-to-be-released wrist-worn Pokémon Go Plus device made by Pokémon.
While Pokémon Go is still very much a phenomenon, interest may be fading. Bloomberg reported last month that daily active users, downloads, engagement, and time spent on the app per day are seeing downward trends.
Nintendo also announced today at the Apple event that it is finally bringing Mario to smartphones, developing a new game for Apple’s iOS, called Super Mario Run.
