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 will be distributed to Niantic equity holders, bringing the total deal value to approximately $3.85 billion.

Scopely, a subsidiary of Savvy Games, announced that Niantic's games boast 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 consistent top 10 mobile game since its launch, attracted over 100 million unique players in 2024.

Niantic stated that its game teams will continue developing their existing long-term plans under Scopely's umbrella. The company emphasized that players can expect continued investment and support for their beloved games, apps, services, and events, all overseen by the original development teams.

Pokémon Go's chief, Ed Wu, addressed player concerns in a separate blog post. Wu, a key figure in Pokémon Go's development since its 2016 launch, expressed confidence in Scopely's commitment to the game's future. He highlighted Scopely's admiration for the community and team, assuring players of continued development and support for features like Raid Battles, Go Battle League, and live events like Pokémon Go Fest. He emphasized Scopely's empowering approach to game development, allowing teams autonomy to pursue their creative visions. Wu also stressed the enduring partnership with The Pokémon Company and Scopely's long-term vision for Pokémon Go, prioritizing the player experience over short-term gains.

Niantic is also launching Niantic Spatial Inc., a new company focused on its geospatial AI business, with Scopely investing $50 million alongside Niantic's $200 million investment. Niantic Spatial will retain ownership and operation of Ingress Prime and Peridot.