Pokémon Go Dev Calms Player Fears After $3.5B Sale

Niantic Inc. has sold its Pokémon Go, Pikmin Bloom, and Monster Hunter Now franchises, along with their development teams, to Scopely, a Saudi-owned gaming company, for $3.5 billion. An additional $350 million in cash brings the total deal value to approximately $3.85 billion for Niantic equity holders.

Scopely, a subsidiary of the Saudi investment company Savvy Games, announced that Niantic's games division boasts over 30 million monthly active users (MAUs), over 20 million weekly active users, and generated over $1 billion in revenue in 2024. Pokémon Go, a flagship title, consistently ranks among the top 10 mobile games globally, attracting over 100 million unique players in 2024 since its launch nearly a decade ago.

Niantic stated its game teams have robust long-term development plans, which will continue under Scopely's ownership. The company emphasized its commitment to maintaining the existing games, apps, services, and events, assuring players of Scopely's ongoing investment and the continued involvement of the original development teams.

Pokémon Go's chief, Ed Wu, addressed player concerns in a separate blog post, highlighting Scopely's admiration for the game's community and team. He expressed confidence that Pokémon Go will thrive under Scopely's leadership, extending its success beyond a decade. Wu emphasized Scopely's commitment to supporting the existing team, providing resources to maintain and enhance the gameplay experience. He reassured players that the entire Pokémon Go team remains intact, continuing to develop new features like Raid Battles, Go Battle League, Routes, and live events like Pokémon Go Fest. He stressed Scopely's empowering approach, allowing game teams autonomy in pursuing their development roadmaps. Wu also underscored Scopely's long-term vision, prioritizing player experience over short-term gains, and their commitment to the game's real-world community and partnership with The Pokémon Company. He concluded by expressing gratitude to the community and his belief in the game's bright future.

Separately, Niantic announced the spin-off of its geospatial AI business into Niantic Spatial Inc., receiving $50 million in investment from Scopely and an additional $200 million from Niantic itself. Niantic Spatial will retain ownership and operation of Ingress Prime and Peridot.