In a significant move, Niantic Inc. has announced the sale of its games division, including popular titles like *Pokémon Go*, *Pikmin Bloom*, and *Monster Hunter Now*, along with their respective development teams, to Scopely, a gaming company owned by Saudi Arabia's Savvy Games Group. The deal, valued at $3.5 billion, includes an additional $350 million in cash distribution, bringing the total to approximately $3.85 billion for Niantic equity holders.
Scopely highlights the acquired business's impressive performance: over 30 million monthly active users (MAUs), over 20 million weekly active users, and over $1 billion in revenue generated in 2024. *Pokémon Go*, a flagship title, maintains its position as a top 10 mobile game, boasting over 100 million unique players in 2024.
Niantic assures players that the transition will ensure the long-term success of its games, stating that this partnership provides the necessary support to make them "forever games." They emphasize that players can expect continued investment and development from the same teams responsible for creating the beloved experiences.
Pokémon Go's chief, Ed Wu, addressed player concerns in a separate blog post, emphasizing Scopely's admiration for the community and the team. He expressed confidence that *Pokémon Go* will thrive under Scopely's ownership, continuing its mission of real-world Pokémon discovery and fostering exploration. He highlighted Scopely's commitment to supporting the team, providing resources to maintain and enhance the gameplay experience. Wu reassured players that the entire *Pokémon Go* team will remain intact, continuing their work on features like Raid Battles, Go Battle League, and live events. He stressed Scopely's approach of empowering game teams to pursue their own roadmaps, aligning with Niantic's vision. Wu also emphasized Scopely's long-term focus and commitment to the *Pokémon Go* community and its real-world aspects, including the Community Leader and Ambassador program.
Niantic also announced the spin-off of its geospatial AI business into a new company, Niantic Spatial Inc., with Scopely investing $50 million alongside Niantic's $200 million investment. Niantic Spatial will retain ownership and operation of *Ingress Prime* and *Peridot*.
