Niantic, the company behind the popular mobile game Pokémon Go, has agreed to sell its games business to Scopely for $3.5 billion. This major deal includes Niantic’s entire game development team and several of its popular titles.
The acquisition brings some of the world’s most successful location-based mobile games under new ownership. Scopely will take over Pokémon Go, Pikmin Bloom, and Monster Hunter Now, along with companion apps like Campfire and Wayfarer. The company will also manage Niantic’s popular live events, including Pokémon Go Fest.
What makes this deal particularly noteworthy is that Scopely itself is owned by Savvy Games Group, a Saudi Arabian multinational game investment company. Savvy Games Group acquired Scopely in July 2023 for $4.9 billion, meaning these beloved games will ultimately fall under Saudi ownership.
Meanwhile, John Hanke, the founder and CEO of Niantic, expressed confidence in the partnership. “Niantic games have always been a bridge to connect people and inspire exploration, and I am confident they will continue to do both as part of Scopely,” he said. Hanke highlighted Scopely’s experience with operating live services and working with major intellectual properties as key factors in the decision.
Following the acquisition, Niantic will not disappear completely. The company will spin off its technology platform into a standalone entity called “Niantic Spatial,” which will continue to be led by Hanke. This new company will retain ownership of two games: Ingress Prime and Peridot.
The development team behind Pokémon Go will move to Scopely but remain intact. Ed Wu, who leads Pokémon Go, reassured players: “The entire Pokémon Go team is staying together through this partnership. The same people who have been guiding and building the game for years will continue doing what we love.”
Pokémon Go remains the crown jewel in this acquisition. Since its launch in 2016, the game has generated approximately $8.5 billion in lifetime player spending, accounting for 95% of Niantic’s game revenue over the past decade. While its earnings have dipped recently to about $796.6 million in 2024 (according to AppMagic data), it remains a massive moneymaker.
This acquisition aligns with comments made by Scopely last year, when the company hinted it was looking for a “mega deal” in 2025. Tim O’Brien, Scopely’s chief revenue officer, said they hoped to purchase “a scaled global franchise doing hopefully at least a billion dollars in revenue.” Looks like they got one.
Some players have expressed concerns about potential changes to Pokémon Go’s monetization strategy. Scopely is known for games with aggressive monetization, including Monopoly GO (which reached $3 billion in revenue faster than any other mobile game) and Marvel Strike Force. However, Wu has tried to calm these fears, stating that Scopely “fully believes in our mission and ongoing goal to create the best Pokémon GO experience possible.”
This acquisition marks the beginning of a new chapter for Pokémon Go as they move forward under Scopely and, ultimately, Saudi Arabian ownership.
Source: GI.biz
