Bob Peck Says Pokémon GO 'Shows Hunger For New Experiences'

Robert "Bob" Peck of SunTrust Robinson Humphrey shared in a research report his unique thoughts on Nintendo Co., Ltd (ADR) NTDOY's latest mobile game smash-hit, Pokémon GO.

According to Peck, Pokémon GO serves as a testament to the potential of "Social Augmented Reality Platforms" (SARPs), although the game itself doesn't fully use the full capabilities of augmented reality. For example, a poké ball does not bounce off a wall or table, and a Pokémon character cannot recognize the smart phone camera is looking at a building and scale up.

'Hunger For New Experiences'

Nevertheless, Peck stated that the "tremendous success" of the game so far "shows how engaging a true AR/VR product could be."

Peck further stated that Pokémon GO's success isn't just attributed to pent-up demand and brand recognition, but due to the game offering a completely new experience. He added that the game marks one of the first times ever that makes use GPS based features and gameplay through the smartphone camera.

Related Link: Barclays: Expect Video Game Publishers To Emulate Pokémon GO's "More Engaging Experience"

Meanwhile, the average iPhone (Apple Inc AAPL) user plays Pokémon GO for approximately 33 minutes a day. While this takes away time spent from other activities like TV or gaming, it could also be cutting into the amount of time a user spends on social media platforms like Facebook Inc FB, Twitter Inc TWTR and Snapchat.

Peck did state that the game is unlikely to have any material impact on social media companies in the near term. However, if the time spent and user growth increases (or even maintains current levels), then the effect on social media companies "could become more pronounced down the road."

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