Pokémon Go Dev Moves to Reassure Players After $3.5 Billion Sale to Monopoly Go! Company Is Confirmed

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 Savvy Games, announced that Niantic's games boast over 30 million monthly active users (MAUs), over 20 million weekly active players, 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 its game teams will continue developing their "exciting long-term roadmaps" under Scopely's umbrella. The company emphasized its commitment to ensuring these games remain enduring experiences for future generations, assuring players that games, apps, services, and events will continue with Scopely's investment and the same dedicated 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 long-term success. He highlighted Scopely's admiration for the community and team, emphasizing that Pokémon Go will continue to thrive under Scopely's ownership, building upon its existing features like Raid Battles, Go Battle League, and live events. He reassured players that the core team remains intact and Scopely empowers its game teams to maintain creative control. Wu stressed Scopely's long-term vision, prioritizing player experience over short-term gains, and highlighted the continued partnership with The Pokémon Company.

Niantic is simultaneously spinning off its geospatial AI business into a new entity, Niantic Spatial Inc., receiving $250 million in investment ($50 million from Scopely and $200 million from Niantic). Niantic Spatial will retain Ingress Prime and Peridot.