With the rising popularity of video games in India, companies are taking different measures to promote them. This includes collaborations not only with gaming content creators, but also with mainstream celebrities, such as well-known sports personalities or movie actors. A recent instance is Krafton, which partnered with Bollywood actor Ranveer Singh to promote its Battlegrounds Mobile India game.
However, don’t expect The Pokemon Company to adopt this marketing strategy. While the Pokemon franchise is recognised for its RPG titles on consoles, it also has a foothold in the mobile gaming sector. Games like Pokemon Go and Pokemon Unite cater to vastly different audiences yet enjoy popularity in India. To promote these games in a mainstream way, The Pokemon Company could also consider celebrity partnerships. However, the company’s chief business officer, Kenjiro Ito, revealed to IGN India that such a marketing strategy is only temporary and does not have any long-term results.
“The more we believe using influencers or popular cricket players in India, for example, is a marketing strategy that is very temporary during that period,” Ito said. “We want Pokemon to be sunk into people’s lives, which is why we strategically prefer local companies selling everyday goods in India, and already has like a fanbase in India. We will partner with them to sell Pokemon products.”
Earlier this year, Niantic and The Pokemon Company announced that Pokemon Go will get Hindi language support. This initiative included renaming over 800 Pokemon creatures in Hindi. A short film was also released with Hindi dubbing. The Pokemon anime already features Hindi and several other regional dubs, alongside dedicated Pokemon YouTube channels in various languages, all of which enjoy significant popularity.
Speaking about deeper localisations for India, Ito stated, “When we create new works within our Pokemon IP, we always think globally, to have something that will be globally accepted. Obviously, India is a very important market to us now.” Ito clarified that although The Pokemon Company won’t create content exclusively for India, they will consider integrating India-related elements that can resonate globally when developing new Pokemon and its elements.
In another interview, Ito talked to IGN India about The Pokemon Company’s expansion plans and more, which you can check out here.
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