Pokémon Go: Community, Belonging, and Consumption Practices among Brazilian Players and Ex-players

Alice Menda Alexandre; Leonardo Carlim

DOI: 10.22167/2675-6528-202602617

Article derived from a Course Conclusion Work (TCC), with content based on the student’s original work and adapted to the editorial format of the E&S Magazine with the support of the ResumeAI tool, an artificial intelligence solution developed by Instituto Pecege for textual synthesis and organization.

Summary

Given the growth of the mobile gaming market and the incorporation of technologies such as augmented reality, an expansion of interactive and immersive digital experiences has been observed. The study aimed to analyze the habits, preferences, and behaviors of Brazilian players and former players of Pokémon GO, seeking to understand how the experience with the game related to consumption, engagement, and interaction practices in digital and urban contexts. To this end, a descriptive, quantitative study was conducted, with data collected through an online questionnaire applied between May and August 2025. 570 Brazilian respondents participated, including active players and former players. The results indicated that the interaction with the game transcended its functional dimension, configuring itself as an expanded experience, in which emotional, social, and symbolic aspects contributed to generating a bond. It was observed that consumption associated with the game was not restricted to the digital environment, unfolding into products and experiences. It was found that retention was associated with involvement, social interaction, and brand identification, while abandonment was related to loss of interest. It was concluded that the sense of belonging was a determinant for sustaining engagement, offering relevant implications for marketing strategies in interactive digital environments.

Keywords: Player community; Consumer engagement; Consumption experience; Digital games; Augmented reality.

1. Introduction

The mobile gaming market has shown significant growth in recent years, driven by the dissemination of digital devices and the expansion of mobile internet access. In this context, a notable expansion of interactive and immersive digital experiences has been observed. Data from Fundação Getúlio Vargas (2024) indicated that Brazil reached hundreds of millions of devices in use, evidencing a highly connected environment conducive to the expansion of digital experiences. Kotler and Keller (2018) had already pointed out that technological evolution would directly influence consumption dynamics and digital interaction, increasing the search for more interactive and immersive experiences.

Associated with this digitalization process, the incorporation of technologies such as augmented reality has transformed the ways of interacting with digital products, shifting consumption beyond screens. Huizinga (2019) highlighted that games have surpassed entertainment, assuming a social and cultural role. This understanding was expanded by Alencar (2026), who showed that augmented reality-based games have promoted the re-signification of urban space, converting the city into a hybrid environment for interaction between the physical and the digital.

Within this logic, Pokémon GO stood out as one of the most relevant cases in terms of reach and engagement. Paavilainen et al. (2017) indicated that the game popularized location-based experiences, making augmented reality accessible to the general public. On a global scale, the game has achieved billions of downloads and generated billions in revenue since its launch, consolidating itself as one of the world’s most far-reaching mobile games (Curry, 2026). Compared to Ingress, a game developed by the same company, Niantic, and based on a similar territorial exploration logic, a significant difference in reach was observed between the two platforms. According to data available on the Google Play Store (Google LLC., 2026), Ingress presented approximately ten million downloads, while Pokémon GO surpassed the one billion mark. In the App Store environment (Apple Inc., 2026), Pokémon GO presented more than fifty-one thousand ratings, in contrast to Ingress, which registered approximately three hundred and fifty-five ratings. These data reinforced the greater capillarity and level of involvement of the analyzed platform in different digital ecosystems, justifying its choice for this study, which allows for a more representative analysis compared to niche platforms, such as Ingress (Ferraz and Santos, 2014; Alencar, 2025).

Beyond the breadth of adoption, the game incorporated elements that deepened its relationship with the real environment. Althoff et al. (2016) demonstrated that the use of the game was associated with behavioral changes, including increased mobility and physical activity, showing that consumption occurred in an integrated way with the urban context. This interaction reinforced the understanding of augmented reality as a tool for connection between digital experience and physical space (Alencar, 2025). From the perspective of contemporary marketing, Kotler et al. (2024) indicated that consumption became oriented by experiences and relationships. In this context, the game’s dynamics favored the formation of communities, an aspect associated by Godin (2012) with the creation of bonds, continuous interaction, and the production of collective meaning among individuals connected by common interests. This phenomenon was enhanced by the symbolic capital of the Pokémon franchise, whose fan base was built over decades through multiple cultural platforms, a process that Silva et al. (2017) associated with the consolidation of fan communities in pop culture.

The experience with the game surpassed its functional dimension, configuring itself as an amplified experience, in which emotional, social, and symbolic aspects contributed to generating a bond. The sense of belonging proved to be decisive for sustaining engagement, as observed by Zhang (2024), and the consumption experience related to the game was associated with the intention to purchase, demonstrating that the interaction surpassed entertainment and began to influence consumption decisions (Senra and Vieira, 2018). In this scenario, consumption associated with the game was not restricted to the digital environment, unfolding into products and experiences, offering relevant implications for marketing strategies in interactive digital environments. Given this context, the present study aimed to analyze the habits, preferences, and behaviors of Brazilian Pokémon GO players and former players, seeking to understand how the experience with the game related to consumption practices, engagement, and interaction in the digital and urban context.

2. Material and Methods

The present study was characterized as a descriptive research, with a quantitative approach, focusing on the analysis of user behavior. This design was employed to understand contemporary phenomena related to digital consumption and the use of emerging technologies, according to the guidelines of Prodanov and Freitas (2013).

The descriptive research allowed the identification of characteristics, patterns, and relationships between variables of the analyzed audience, contributing to the understanding of behaviors in specific contexts (Gil, 2022). The quantitative approach, in turn, enabled the measurement of attitudes, perceptions, and behaviors, favoring structured and comparable analyses (Malhotra, 2019).

The investigation was conducted using the survey method, known as “survey”, utilizing a structured questionnaire. The instrument was applied in a digital environment, following the recommendations of Lakatos and Marconi (2017) for the systematic collection of data on respondents’ behaviors, attitudes, and perceptions.

The questionnaire was developed on the Google Forms platform and consisted mostly of closed-ended questions. Items evaluated using a five-point Likert scale were included, widely used in measuring attitudes, perceptions, and opinions in quantitative research, especially in user behavior studies (Malhotra, 2019).

Additionally, the instrument incorporated objective questions aimed at identifying participants’ behaviors, perceptions, and opinions regarding the game. A filter question was inserted to identify respondents’ prior experience, excluding from the analyses those who declared they had never played Pokémon GO.

Among participants with gaming experience, the questionnaire was organized into two distinct tracks. These tracks were adapted to the respondent’s situation, automatically directing them to the question flow corresponding to active players or former players, ensuring the instrument’s suitability to each individual’s profile.

Data collection occurred between May and August 2025, online and through voluntary participation of respondents. The questionnaire was disseminated in various digital environments, including general WhatsApp groups and specific gamer communities, as well as channels and profiles on platforms like YouTube and Twitter, focused on the game’s universe.

In total, 574 responses were obtained. Of this amount, four respondents were excluded from the analyses for stating they had never played, not meeting the inclusion criteria established for the research. The final sample consisted of 570 eligible participants, distributed between active players and former players.

The sample was characterized as non-probabilistic convenience sampling, according to Lakatos and Marconi (2017), as participants voluntarily responded to the questionnaire after exposure to the instrument through the dissemination channels. This type of sampling proved adequate for the study’s objective, which consisted of identifying patterns and trends among respondents, without the intention of statistical generalization to the entire Brazilian population.

The unit of analysis for the study was Brazilian Pokémon GO players and former players, covering an audience that experienced the game in different phases and contexts. This focus allowed for an in-depth understanding of engagement and consumption dynamics in a scenario of widespread technological adoption.

The initial questions of the instrument contemplated the sociodemographic characterization of the participants. The subsequent questions addressed aspects related to the game usage behavior, including engagement, motivation, perception of time spent, consumption habits, and factors associated with the continuity or interruption of the practice.

The data analysis was structured around five previously defined analytical dimensions. These dimensions included the profile of the respondents, the patterns of game use, engagement and interaction, factors of retention and dropout, and the predisposition to financial investment, which guided the organization and interpretation of the results.

The collected data were organized to allow the application of descriptive statistics and the performance of comparative analyses between variables. This procedure aimed to identify patterns of behavior, preferences, and perceptions of the participants, as well as the relationships between the studied variables, according to the adopted methodology. The data organization was carried out in a way that facilitates the interpretation of the results in light of the literature on digital marketing and augmented reality games.

Regarding the ethical aspects, the principles of confidentiality, voluntary participation, and information secrecy were observed. Participants had access to the Consent agreement [TCLE], in which they were informed about the research objectives, the voluntary nature of participation, and the guarantee of anonymity. No information that would allow individual identification of the respondents was collected, ensuring data protection.

3. Results and Discussion

The analysis of the data allowed us to observe how Brazilian players and former players related to the game over time, highlighting not only usage patterns but also aspects related to engagement, consumption, and platform retention. The interpretation focused on the transformations in digital consumption and the social dynamics present in augmented reality-based games, going beyond a merely descriptive reading of the data. The results were interpreted based on five analytical dimensions that, although presented separately, proved to be interdependent throughout the analysis, allowing for an integrated understanding of the phenomenon.

The participants’ profile was examined in dialogue with the game’s expansion context, while usage patterns evidenced different forms of participation and interaction. Subsequently, the consumption pattern was analyzed considering its relationship with technological aspects and the experience provided by the platform. Reading the data allowed for an understanding of the factors associated with game retention and abandonment, revealing distinct trajectories of connection with the experience. Finally, a comparative synthesis of the findings for marketing was elaborated, which will be integrated into the final discussion of this section.

Profile of respondents and context of the phenomenon

The phenomenon analyzed in this study was directly related to the consolidation of the Pokémon franchise over the last decades, especially from the diffusion of the animated series in the late 1990s, which contributed to the formation of a solid fan base. This process was interpreted in light of participatory culture and the construction of communities around media products, as discussed by Silva et al. (2017), when analyzing the role of fan culture in expanding engagement in pop culture, indicating a strong influence of affective memory in adherence to the game.

Beyond this cultural aspect, the advancement of the digital environment in Brazil has also contributed to the expansion of the reach of technology-mediated experiences. According to Fundação Getúlio Vargas (2024), the country presented about 480 million digital devices in use, with an average of 2.2 per inhabitant, evidencing a highly connected scenario that favored the rapid dissemination of applications based on mobility and geolocation, creating structural conditions for the large-scale adoption of digital games and interaction with the urban space.

This context proved relevant for understanding the reception of the game released in 2016, which, by integrating augmented reality into the urban space, significantly expanded the reach of the experience and reactivated the interest of an audience already familiar with the franchise. Studies on location-based games indicated that this type of technology promotes new forms of interaction with space and with other individuals, transforming the dynamics of digital consumption into broader social practices, as evidenced by Alencar (2026), who highlighted the redefinition of urban space.

Additionally, when considering the logic of belonging and the formation of social groupings, the observed dynamics could be interpreted from the perspective of building bonds around common interests, as proposed by Godin (2012), who highlighted that communities were structured from significant connections between individuals who share values and experiences. This sense of belonging was crucial for sustaining engagement, as pointed out by Zhang (2024), and the consumption experience was associated with purchase intention (Senra and Vieira, 2018).

A total of 570 respondents, including Brazilian players and former players, were considered, allowing for the observation of consistent profile and behavior patterns over time. The data distribution indicated a higher participation of the male audience, with 79% among active players and 67% among former players, remaining relatively homogeneous across the analyzed groups. This male predominance identified in the sample remained aligned with the pattern observed in studies on digital games, in which female participation, although growing, is still less expressive (Duarte et al., 2021).

The age group analysis showed a higher representation of the groups between 30 and 39 years old and between 20 and 29 years old in both profiles. Among former players, the 30 to 39 age group accounted for 49% of respondents, followed by 20 to 29 years old, with 39%. Among active players, a similar pattern was observed, with 44% in the 30 to 39 age group and 36% between 20 and 29 years old. The other age groups showed reduced participation, especially between 40 and 47 years old (7% among players and 5% among former players) and over 48 years old, which remained residual.

This pattern indicated greater adherence to the game among young adults, a group that experienced the consolidation of the franchise in Brazil, suggesting that adherence to the game was not exclusively associated with technological innovation, but also with a process of symbolic continuity. Individuals previously exposed to the brand resumed their relationship with this universe in a new format, which reinforced the importance of affective memory in building engagement with digital experiences, as discussed by Paavilainen et al. (2017).

Regarding schooling, a predominance of higher levels of education was observed, with 59% of active players and 61% of former players having completed or incomplete higher education, and 31% of players and 27% of former players with graduate courses. This data suggested an audience with greater access to technology and familiarity with digital environments, a behavior that Kotler and Keller (2018) associated with the influence of the digital environment on the formation of consumption habits.

When comparing current and former players, it was found that the sociodemographic profile remained relatively homogeneous between the groups, indicating that the differences observed throughout the study tended to be more associated with experiences and forms of interaction with the game than with demographic characteristics themselves. This finding reinforced the need for a more in-depth analysis of behavioral and relational aspects in the subsequent sections, highlighting the proximity between the profiles.

The geographical distribution of respondents indicated that the sample included participants from different regions of Brazil and from municipalities of distinct sizes. A higher concentration of respondents residing in capitals and large urban centers was observed, with 73% of players and 75% of former players, an aspect that proved consistent with the logic of geolocation-based games, as these contexts present greater availability of urban infrastructure, connectivity, and points of interest for playing the game.

Nevertheless, the presence of respondents distributed across different regions of the country evidenced the national reach of the experience and suggested the game’s adaptability to distinct territorial realities, even considering regional variations in infrastructure. This result aligned with studies on augmented reality games, in which the experience was directly related to how individuals interacted with urban space and to the reconfiguration of consumption and circulation practices in cities promoted by this type of technology (Alencar, 2025; Alencar, 2026).

Usage patterns, engagement, and interaction dynamics in the game

The results revealed significant variations in how respondents related to the game, particularly regarding the frequency, intensity, and continuity of use. It was identified that this bond did not remain stable, being marked by periods of greater involvement alternating with moments of reduction or interruption of practice, configuring a pattern of intermittent use. As discussed by Paavilainen et al. (2017), this behavior is compatible with location-based mobile games, in which permanence tends to depend on maintaining interest throughout the experience.

During the period of highest engagement, a concentration was observed in the initial years after the launch, suggesting a high initial adoption followed by a progressive decline in involvement. This behavior pointed to the relevance of the novelty factor in initial attraction, while the continuity of use seemed to depend on the ability to update and renew the experience. This pattern proved consistent with global data for the game, which showed high levels of adherence in the first years after launch, followed by a gradual reduction in user involvement over time (Curry, 2026).

According to Freire (2017), the experience with Pokémon GO was associated with the initial impact of the integration between the physical and digital world, while Paavilainen et al. (2017) indicated that the bond in location-based games tends to decrease in the absence of continuous stimuli. The dynamic indicated that the interaction with the game did not follow a linear trajectory of continuous adherence, but was structured in cycles of engagement, with initial peaks of use followed by a gradual reduction in intensity, especially when the initial motivation is not sustained (Althoff et al., 2016).

The motivation for the first download reinforced this initial pattern, by highlighting the weight of the digital circulation of the novelty. Among former players, prior contact via the internet predominated (69%), followed by the influence of friends (30%), while traditional media showed residual participation. Among active players, a similar trend was observed, with 58% of responses associated with initial contact via the internet and 30% with the influence of friends. These data indicated that entry into the game was anchored in the combination of digital visibility and interpersonal diffusion, accelerating adoption in the connected environment.

From a marketing perspective, this behavior was understood through the logic of value creation in digital environments, where communication occurred in a distributed and interactive manner. As discussed by Kotler and Keller (2018), the decision was influenced by multiple touchpoints mediated by social interactions and digital content. In this context, the incidence of initial contact via the internet, combined with interpersonal influence, indicated a hybrid process in which digital exposure contributed to the generation of “awareness,” while social validation favored conversion into experimentation.

It was found that the value attributed to the game was less related to access itself and more to the experience built over time. Senra and Vieira (2018) pointed out that, in this type of context, user involvement directly influenced retention, indicating that continuity depended on the experience’s ability to remain relevant. The absence of significant sociodemographic profile differences between players and former players shifted the explanation to the behavioral field, and Zhang (2024) highlighted that retention tended to be associated with interaction dynamics and the degree of involvement.

Regarding the time dedicated, the majority indicated a perception of use above the ideal, with 57.8% among former players and 59.2% among active players, showing a practically equivalent pattern between the groups. This proximity suggested that the perception of excess was not directly associated with continuity or abandonment, as both presented similar levels of self-criticism. Althoff et al. (2016) observed that mobility-based games tended to stimulate more intense usage patterns, contributing to high levels of engagement.

Complementarily, Senra and Vieira (2018) indicated that user retention did not depend exclusively on the time invested, but on the continuity of interest throughout the experience, so that abandonment was not explained solely by the intensity of use. Regarding the continuity of use, the data indicated that the players’ experience was marked by a high level of intermittency, as 75% of respondents stated they had already temporarily interrupted their use of the game, which characterized the practice by cycles of greater and lesser involvement, and not by stable continuity (Paavilainen et al., 2017).

The interpretation of this behavior gained consistency when related to the predominant age profile, concentrated between 20 and 39 years old. Considering that this age group was associated with greater professional stability and personal responsibilities, the temporary interruption may have been related to the need to adjust game usage to daily demands. From the perspective of player behavior, Senra and Vieira (2018) highlighted that involvement could be maintained even in the face of breaks, as long as the experience remained relevant to the user.

Regarding the possibility of return, a significant portion of former players did not show an intention to resume the experience, even with structural changes, with 41% of respondents stating they were decided not to play again, indicating a group of definitive abandonment. Among those who signaled the possibility of return, demands related to improving the practical experience and expanding interaction opportunities stood out.

Fourteen percent of former players pointed to greater ease in capturing rare characters and 13% indicated the realization of in-person events with other players as factors that would make them return. Kotler and Keller (2018) contributed to understanding this combination, as value creation tended to articulate functional and social dimensions of the experience. Elements of accessibility and environmental dynamics also appeared with significant weight, such as the expansion of interaction points on the map (12%) and the reduction of item prices (9%), which suggested the influence of operational and economic barriers on the decision to return, an aspect discussed by Soares Filho (2023).

On the other hand, global events (6%) and elements associated with the initial characters of the Pokémon franchise (5%) showed less direct influence; nevertheless, these percentages could indicate symbolic links, especially when associated with fan culture, as discussed by Silva et al. (2017). Zhang (2024) pointed out that participation in digital games was strongly associated with social interaction and a sense of belonging in virtual communities, which helped interpret the relevance of the social components identified in the data. In general, the results indicated that continuity in the game was associated not only with maintaining interest but also with the ability to sustain engagement over time.

Consumption and developments of the experience

Regarding consumption practices, relevant differences were identified between active players and former players concerning financial investment in the game. It was observed that 92.3% of players stated they had already made some type of expenditure, while among former players, this percentage was 67.6%. This finding indicated a consistent association between consumption and retention, suggesting that financial investment accompanied higher levels of engagement. In practical terms, greater involvement was related to a higher propensity for consumption.

At the same time, the fact that former players spent significant portions of their money showed that consumption did not guarantee continued use. This reinforced the understanding of the level of involvement as a multifactorial phenomenon, dependent not only on investment but on the experience’s ability to maintain its relevance. This pattern was interpreted from the dynamics of perceived value in digital environments. As discussed by Soares Filho (2023), consumption in electronic games was associated with progression and performance improvement, but its continuity depended on the experience delivered to the user.

Complementarily, Senra and Vieira (2018) pointed out that the intensity of involvement directly influenced consumption practices, contributing to explain the higher incidence of spending among active players. The integrated reading of data related to expanded consumption reinforced this interpretation. It was observed that, in addition to direct spending in the game, some respondents made additional investments, such as the acquisition of more robust devices and products linked to the game’s universe.

This behavior indicated that, at higher levels of engagement, the experience transcended the digital environment, expanding beyond the platform and articulating different consumption practices. The centrality of technological support became evident when observing that the quality of the device directly influenced the fluidity of gameplay, which impacted the level of adherence and permanence in the game. This result indicated that technical limitations acted as barriers to the experience, reinforcing the importance of technological compatibility in digital products.

This relevance manifested concretely when some respondents stated they had considered the possibility of owning a mobile phone exclusively for gaming. Although this decision was not the majority, its occurrence was significant, indicating that, for a portion of the participants, gaming reached a level of involvement sufficient to influence intentions of material reorganization of their routine. This movement reinforced that digital products could surpass their functional dimension and guided complementary consumption decisions, while also confirming the relevance of technological infrastructure in sustaining the experience.

The relationship between monthly income and in-game purchases showed that consumption was distributed across different income brackets, without exclusive concentration in the higher purchasing power groups. A higher incidence of purchases was observed in the intermediate brackets, especially among respondents with incomes from R$2,001 to R$4,000 (23.3%) and from R$4,001 to R$8,000 (21.4%), while the higher brackets showed proportionally lower participation, such as the group above R$12,000 (7.7%).

This pattern indicated that consumption in the game was not directly conditioned by absolute income, but by how the value was perceived throughout the experience. Even among participants with lower income (up to R$2,000), significant participation in consumption was observed (15%), suggesting that the financial investment was associated with involvement in the practice, and not exclusively with economic availability. From a theoretical perspective, this behavior could be understood through the dynamics of perceived value in digital environments, in which consumption related to progression, reward, and continuity of the experience (Soares Filho, 2023).

Complementarily, Senra and Vieira (2018) highlighted that the user’s level of involvement directly influenced their willingness to consume, regardless of exclusively economic factors. This result also aligned with Solomon (2016), indicating that consumption was not restricted to utilitarian function but involved symbolic and identification dimensions, which helped explain adherence to spending even in lower income brackets. In this sense, in-game consumption could be interpreted as part of an expanded experience, in which financial investment acted as a mechanism to reinforce engagement and retention.

Consumption associated with gaming transcended the digital environment, unfolding into different forms of investment linked to the experience, which proved consistent with the understanding that practices in digital environments can extrapolate the direct use of the application (Soares Filho, 2023). It was observed that, in addition to direct spending within the game, some respondents made additional investments, such as the acquisition of more robust devices and products linked to the gaming universe. This movement reinforced the idea that involvement with the experience directly influenced consumption practices, as discussed by Senra and Vieira (2018).

In addition, consumption driven by gaming was analyzed from a multiple-choice question, in which participants could indicate different types of acquisition or experience motivated by gaming. It was observed that the experience was not restricted to spending within the platform, unfolding into acquisitions and consumption practices beyond the digital environment. Among the players, 30.9% indicated they had not made any gaming-driven consumption, while 69% reported some consumption outcome.

In this set, licensed products and affinity items accounted for 25.4% among players, including clothing, school supplies, toys, keychains, accessories, and collectible items. Technological investment also stood out, as 19.3% indicated the isolated acquisition of a more robust mobile phone for gaming, while 21.7% reported this investment associated with other consumption linked to the gaming universe. Among former players, the category “no game-driven consumption” showed a higher concentration, reaching 50% of the sample.

Nevertheless, 50% of former players reported some consumption associated with the experience, with emphasis on licensed products and affinity items, which totaled 24.5%. Technological investment appeared in 12.2% of cases as the isolated acquisition of a more robust mobile phone and in 8.7% when combined with other consumptions, indicating the relevant participation of this dimension also in the group that abandoned the game. The comparison between the groups suggested that expanded consumption was more associated with remaining in the experience.

Among active players, the sum of categories related to investment in more robust mobile phones reached 41%, while among former players this percentage was 21%. This difference highlighted the relationship between technological investment and persistence in the experience, indicating a greater willingness to invest not only in the digital experience but also in supporting infrastructure and symbolic goods linked to the game’s universe, as the connection with the practice remained more consistent.

Another observed point was the low incidence of in-person experiences linked to the brand. Visiting a themed space, such as the Pokémon Center, appeared in 2.6% of responses among players and 4.3% among former players, indicating that this type of consumption remained restricted and did not constitute a central axis of the experience for most respondents. The results indicated different levels of engagement, varying between a more functional experience, restricted to the use of the application, and an expanded experience, capable of generating symbolic consumption and additional investments.

Solomon (2016) highlighted that consumption involved meanings, identity, and forms of individual expression, which contributed to interpreting the acquisition of licensed products and affinity items. Senra and Vieira (2018) showed that involvement with Pokémon GO was related to the consumption experience, while Soares Filho (2023) pointed out that investment practices in digital games were associated with higher levels of engagement. In this framework, staying in the game was linked not only to direct spending but to the incorporation of the experience into other dimensions of consumption.

The consolidation of expanded consumption indicated that the relationship with gaming surpassed the functional dimension, mobilizing financial, symbolic, and behavioral investment. Among active players, consumption was associated not only with the use of the game but with the incorporation of elements from its universe into daily life, whether through technological investments or the acquisition of affinity products and items. This pattern suggested a deeper level of involvement, in which consumption operated as an extension of the experience.

In this direction, staying in the game seemed related not only to mechanics or gameplay, but to the ability to generate bonds that went beyond the digital environment and approached dynamics of belonging and identification. As discussed by Godin (2012), contemporary communities were structured around shared interests and symbolic connections, in which individuals recognized themselves as part of a collective. Thus, the results indicated that the game contributed to connections capable of sustaining the continuity of the experience.

Social engagement, community, and belonging

Regarding the interaction between players, it was observed that the social dimension was present in a relevant way in the use of the game, although with different levels of participation among respondents. Different forms of collective involvement were verified, ranging from frequent interactions to more occasional participations, which indicated that the insertion into community dynamics occurred heterogeneously. This pattern was consistent with the composition of the sample itself, obtained from digital spaces of player interaction, suggesting the presence of a structuring collective context, albeit with different levels of individual engagement.

Thus, the degree of social participation varied according to users’ interest and availability, without distorting the relevance of the social dimension in practice. This pattern suggested that the game experience did not depend exclusively on social interaction to be sustained, although this dimension acted as an element for expanding participation. In location-based games, Paavilainen et al. (2017) pointed out that interaction tends to strengthen the perception of value, especially when associated with collaborative activities and shared experiences.

Even among participants with lower active social involvement, the existence of a structured community contributed to the relevance of the experience. From the perspective of consumer behavior, Solomon (2016) highlighted that consumption can operate as a form of social connection, while Godin (2012) indicated that belonging is also sustained by symbolic ties, not just continuous participation. The relational aspect of the experience was also reinforced by the consumption of content produced by influencers linked to the Pokémon GO universe.

The majority of respondents stated that they follow this type of content, both among active players and former players, indicating that the experience with the game extended beyond direct use, incorporating practices of updating, following, and belonging mediated by content creators. This behavior signaled the existence of an expanded ecosystem of member engagement, sustained by the circulation of information, events, and interpretations on digital platforms. In marketing terms, this movement dialogued with Couto (2023) and Godin (2012), as they highlighted that brands strengthen their relevance by operating in networks of interaction and community.

The variables measured by the Likert scale revealed consistent patterns of perception regarding the game experience. A concentration of responses was observed at the higher levels of the scale for items related to overall experience, engagement, and perceived value, indicating a predominantly positive evaluation among players and former players. At the same time, the presence of intermediate and lower responses indicated a gradual reduction in attachment, an aspect compatible with the dropout data. This interpretation aligned with the discussions by Senra and Vieira (2018) and Zhang (2024), who associated the maintenance of the involvement level with the experience’s ability to remain relevant.

Among former players, the assessment of a possible return focused mainly on intermediate responses, such as sometimes and rarely, suggesting partial openness to resumption, although without a consolidated character. Nevertheless, the general opinion about Pokémon GO remained predominantly positive in both groups, with a higher concentration on scores 4 and 5 among active players, indicating that the abandonment did not represent a rejection of the experience or the brand, but a loss of practical adherence. The relevance of the social dimension was also evident in the motivations associated with involvement with the game.

Factors related to player interaction and the construction of shared experiences appeared significantly, with emphasis on the formation of friendships and in-person interactions, which corresponded to 24% of the responses. At the same time, motivation was associated with the enjoyment of the game experience as a whole, mentioned by 46% of participants, indicating that engagement was built in an integrated way, articulating functional, emotional, and social aspects. The symbolic dimension also proved relevant, evidenced by the interest in building a Pokémon collection, cited by 28%, which indicated bonds that went beyond the immediate utility of the game.

When observing what most attracted players today, a predominance of elements related to collection, battles, and participation in events was found, evidencing that the attractiveness of the experience was distributed among individual progress, competitive challenge, and collective experience. This result indicated that game retention was sustained by a combination of stimuli, reinforcing the multifactorial nature of engagement, as discussed by Zhang (2024) and Huizinga (2019). From the perspective of consumer behavior, consumption experiences were understood as constructions based on shared meanings, according to Solomon (2016), while belonging emerged from identification with groups and symbolic elements, as highlighted by Godin (2012).

In the context of digital games, this dynamic has expanded by considering the game as a structuring element of culture, in which the playful experience has surpassed entertainment and connected to social and symbolic dimensions. Studies on Pokémon GO, such as those by Freire (2017), Ribeiro and Horta (2018), reinforced this understanding by highlighting the game’s role in mediating everyday experiences, social interactions, and appropriations of urban space. The integrated reading of the results indicated that use, consumption practices, and social interaction articulated in a complementary way in sustaining the experience.

While consumption was more associated with permanence, the social dimension contributed to the construction of meaning and belonging, evidencing that the game operated not only as a digital product but as an environment for interaction and symbolic construction, with direct implications for engagement strategies in digital contexts. The systematization of findings made it possible to consolidate the understanding of the analyzed phenomenon and highlight its relevance for the field of marketing, observing that consumption associated with gaming was structured in an expanded way, articulating functional, emotional, and social dimensions, which supported the reading of engagement as an integrated and multifactorial phenomenon.

From this synthesis, it became possible to transpose the empirical results to the strategic level. When discussing experience-oriented marketing, Kotler et al. (2024) emphasized the centrality of relationships and value co-creation throughout the usage journey, a perspective that contributed to interpreting the need for strategies focused on retention, bonding, and continuity of experience in interactive digital environments. The findings indicated that the influence of nostalgia, expanded experience, oscillating engagement, expanded consumption, technological investment, and the relevant social dimension are crucial factors for user retention and engagement.

In summary, the analysis of the results indicated that the interaction associated with the game surpassed the strictly functional dimension and configured itself as an expanded practice, in which emotional, social, and symbolic aspects were articulated in the construction of the bond. It was observed that the permanence in the game was not associated with a single factor, but with a combination of elements related to the experience provided, the interaction between users, and the symbolic bond established with the brand’s universe. Consumption was not restricted to the digital environment, as it unfolded into products, associated practices, and decisions linked to the use of technology, reinforcing the expanded nature of the analyzed dynamics and responding to the objective of understanding how the experience with the game related to consumption, engagement, and interaction practices in digital and urban contexts.

4. Conclusion

This study sought to analyze the habits, preferences, and behaviors of Brazilian Pokémon GO players and former players, understanding how the experience with the game related to consumption practices, engagement, and interaction in digital and urban contexts. It was found that the interaction with the game surpassed its strictly functional dimension, configuring itself as an expanded experience, in which emotional, social, and symbolic aspects articulated in the construction of the bond. It was observed that consumption associated with the game was not restricted to the digital environment, unfolding into licensed products, affinity items, and technological investments, such as the acquisition of more robust devices. Staying in the game was associated with a combination of elements, including involvement, social interaction, and brand identification, while abandonment was related to loss of interest and the need for continuous stimuli. The social dimension, with the formation of friendships and face-to-face interactions, and the sense of belonging proved to be determinants for sustaining engagement, offering relevant implications for the development of marketing strategies in interactive digital environments, which value community building and relational value.

However, the study presented some limitations, such as the difficulty of accessing a broader and more diverse sample, especially due to the reduction in the number of active players over time. Data collection via online questionnaire, with voluntary participation, may have influenced the respondents’ profile and restricted the generalization of the results. Additionally, the dynamic nature of the game, subject to constant updates, may have altered users’ experience and impacted the recorded perception. For future investigations, it is recommended to expand the sample, develop comparative studies involving different augmented reality games, adopt qualitative approaches to deepen perceptions and motivations, and conduct longitudinal research that tracks the evolution of user behavior over time.

Bibliographic References

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