Pokemon Frenzy
Okay, so having Pokemon’s 20th anniversary fall in 2016 wasn’t entirely in Nintendo’s control. Time is just funny like that, you release something in 1996, wait 20 years, and voila it’s 2016. However, few companies manage to capitalize on such an important milestone as Nintendo has this year. We thought they knew how to make something last for 12 months during that entire Year of Luigi phase, but the company went a step further and showed that it means business when it comes to its larger properties.
From the moment the year started, it became very clear that this would be everyone’s favorite monster-catching RPG’s year. Trailers and information were provided slowly throughout the year leading up to a new, and highly impressive installment to the beloved franchise. But, leading up to that release was the instantly popular Pokemon GO, introducing millions of players across the world to the franchise all for free. It helped the brand stay at the forefront of gaming throughout the year and has carried on until the very end.