Nintendo challenged players worldwide in their "Pokemon Sun & Moon" global online event. Gamers were asked to register their captured creatures through the Game Sync function. The challenge instructed fans to capture 100 million Pokemon within two weeks.
An article by Siliconera claims players failed to achieve the goal set by Nintendo. Despite their collective efforts, "Pokemon Sun & Moon" players were only able to register 16,432,231 Pokemon, which is a far cry from the target set by the gaming company. The 100 million they are asking for appears to be too high. Fans are expected to beg Nintendo and Game Freak to possibly adjust future objectives.
The "Pokemon Sun & Moon" global online event was launched on Nov. 29, 2016. If the goal was met before the deadline, Nintendo would have awarded 1,000 Festival Coins to all the participants. However, due to the missed target, players are reportedly going to receive 200 Festival Coins instead. This participation prize was initially announced as 100 Festival Coins only, but it seems the Japanese game company decided to spread the holiday cheer by doubling the amount.
According to Wired, Nintendo has actually moved 10 million copies of "Pokemon Sun & Moon." Its 7.8 million units sold would mean gamers had an estimated capture rate of 12.8 per player. Even if only half of the players participated, it would still require a manageable 25.64 catch rate per individual. The game reportedly even counts duplicate Pokemon caught and registered, which makes the task obviously doable.
Some of the possible reasons why "Pokemon Sun & Moon" players missed the Nintendo target are being thrown around. The first theory points toward the online requirement through Game Sync. It seems safe to assume that not all players have access to this feature. Some younger gamers are usually not allowed by their parents or guardians to access online content. The second reason appears to be the lack of proper announcement regarding the event. Players who don't frequently interact with the Festival Plaza feature might have missed the broadcast about the event.
It is reported however, that Nintendo plans to hold another global mission in the future for "Pokemon Sun & Moon." Fans just need to hope that the target numbers are adjusted by Nintendo, based on the possible factors speculated by its players.