SK Telecom announced that it has entered into a joint marketing agreement with Niantic, Inc. and The Pokémon Company.Pokémon GO, a location-based augmented reality game for Android and iOS mobile devices, had surpassed 650 million downloads worldwide.
Released in the Korean market in January 2017, the game has recently added over 80 new Pokémon.Under the joint marketing agreement, SK Telecom’s approximately 4,000 authorized retail stores will become PokéStops or Gyms.
Moreover, new and existing SK Telecom customers can get free and unlimited high-speed data for Pokémon GO gaming* in Korea until the end of June 2017. This will particularly benefit the youth customers, the main players of the game, as most of them are not subscribed to unlimited data plans and thus are more sensitive to data consumption.
*Free data does not apply to the Pokémon GO app download and updates.
Through the agreement, SK Telecom becomes the only Korean mobile operator to establish an official partnership with Pokémon GO. The local marketing activity will be supported by the subsidiary of The Pokémon Company, Pokémon Korea, Inc.
SK Telecom has been developing and investing in core AR technologies – including ‘T Real AR Platform’ – to build an enriched AR ecosystem. The company recently held a meeting with Niantic to discuss cooperation for the future technologies in the areas of AR and indoor positioning.
“Partnering with SK Telecom will benefit all Pokémon GO Trainers across Korea, adding 4,000 new places for them to play the game,” said John Hanke, CEO of Niantic. “We’re happy to be working with a telecom provider who is so connected with games and understand the needs of local players.”
“SK Telecom is excited to enter into a meaningful partnership with Niantic, a leading gaming app developer in the world,” said Lee Inn-chan, Executive Vice President and Head of Service Innovation Division of SK Telecom. “Starting with this partnership, SK Telecom will join hands with more companies across the globe to collaborate in advanced technologies to provide customers with differentiated value and experience.”
About Niantic, Inc.
Niantic, Inc. builds mobile real-world experiences that foster fun, exploration, discovery and social interaction. Originally incubated within Google, Niantic, Inc., spun out in 2015, with investments from Google, The Pokémon Company and Nintendo. The company’s immersive real-world mobile game Ingress has been downloaded more than 15 million times and is played in more than 200 countries and territories worldwide. Niantic, Inc., also developed and published Pokémon GO, the real-world Pokémon game for iOS and Android mobile devices that has been downloaded more than 650 million times. For more information on Niantic, please visit www.nianticlabs.com.
About The Pokémon Company
The Pokémon Company (President and Chief Executive Officer, Tsunekazu Ishihara) was established in 1998. Headquartered in Tokyo, The Pokémon Company’s operations span four key areas: video game production and development, trading card game business planning and promotion, licensing and quality control, and management of all official outlets selling Pokémon-related merchandise in locations throughout Japan. Upholding the brand through strict product evaluation and support for licensees, it ensures that the role-playing world of Pokémon remains a fresh, fun, and exciting connective medium for players around the globe who enjoy collecting and exchanging the unique characters, which have grown in number to more than 700 since the release of the first video game in 1996.
About Pokémon Korea, Inc.
Pokémon Korea, Inc., a subsidiary of The Pokémon Company in Japan, manages the property of Korea and is responsible for brand management, licensing, marketing, the Pokémon Trading Card Game, the animated TV series, home entertainment, and the official Pokémon website.Pokémon was launched in Japan in 1996 and today is one of the most popular children’s entertainment properties in the world.
About SK Telecom
Established in 1984, SK Telecom is the largest mobile operator in Korea by both revenue and number of subscribers. As of December 2016, the company holds around 50 percent of the market, with 29.60 million mobile subscribers including 21.1 million LTE subscribers. It has reached KRW 17.092 trillion in revenue in 2016.
SK Telecom has led the advancement of mobile technologies ranging from 2G to 4G, and is currently setting important milestones in its journey to 5G. The company is not only leading innovation in the field of mobile network, but also providing IoT, media, home and platform services.
SK Telecom is determined to play a significant role in the Fourth Industrial Revolution by achieving innovations and promoting shared growth with other players in the industry.For more information, please visit www.sktelecom.com/en or contact skt_press@sk.com.
