I’m writing this on Music Week staff writer Coral Williamson’s last day in the office before she embarks on a new career in PR. She’ll take with her 99.9% of the Music Week office’s Pokémon Go knowledge.
Here’s the other 0.01%: Pokémon Go is a new app that’s taken the world – and certainly the streets around our office – by storm.
To most grown-ups, the idea of people wandering around with their phone in the air and paying money for imaginary ‘incense’ and ‘lures’ might just be one more thing to add to your ‘God help us if there’s a war’ list.
But it wasn’t so long ago that the only thing that united adults and children alike in money-syphoning, irrational obsession was pop music.
The music industry would do well to look at how Pokémon has combined augmented reality and in-app purchasing to build a phenomenon that’s taken gaming out of teenagers’ bedrooms and into the real world.
Even if they spend most of their time in the real world getting under my feet when I’m trying to buy a bacon sandwich.
The point is, entertainment is becoming more immersive. Will music be able to compete by the time gaming and movie companies are downloading their latest release direct to people’s cerebral cortexes?
Video may be more important than ever, and various companies may be grappling with the possibilities for music and VR.
But everyone needs to up their game, or a Pokémon Go-style crossover hit may prove more elusive than a Mew or Ditto. I have no idea what a Mew or Ditto is. But that’s just one more reason why Coral will be missed…
Mark Sutherland, Editor
msutherland@nbmedia
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