As part of its expansion into international territory, Pokémon GO debuted in Japan only a few hours ago. Within those hours it has catapulted to becoming the top grossing game on iOS in the country, a feat that is estimated to bring in $2 to $4 million per day in microtransactions.
This sequence of events has dethroned Rune Story, Monster Strike, as well as Puzzle & Dragons, which are massively popular mobile games that have enjoyed the top three spots on iOS for more than a month.
The Japanese mobile market is substantial despite the country's small size, with more revenue and activity per year than the United States. This has made the country a prime destination for localized Western mobile games looking to make dense profits.
Pokémon GO's success has had a huge impact on the global market, where Nintendo is now valued at more than 25% than it was prior to the game's launch.
Pokémon GO has been downloaded and played by tens of millions of people with several more international launches to come.
