A design strategy for Geo AR mobile game sustainable success emphasizing game completeness

Journal article, 2023

Current geolocation-based augmented reality mobile games lost more than 90% of their active users compared to

the peak volume, threatening their sustainable success. Calls for making this type of game “complete” have been

made in the literature. This paper uses the grounded theory approach to investigate a unique game, Pok´

emon GO,

which attains its sustainable success to find a general pattern. First, key game design changes of Pok´

emon GO are

identified in the nearly five-year history of this game. Second, relationships between various system updates,

design components in the game, and the active user level change are identified. Third, a theory of sustainable

success is proposed based on the relationships identified. Finally, the “complete game strategy” has been proposed

and detailed for game designers’ consideration.