Pokémon Go Dev Assures Players Post $3.5B Sale to Monopoly Go! Company

Niantic Inc. has announced the sale of its gaming division, including popular titles such as Pokémon Go, Pikmin Bloom, and Monster Hunter Now, along with their development teams, to Scopely, a company owned by the Saudi investment firm Savvy Games, for $3.5 billion. Additionally, Niantic is distributing $350 million in cash to its equity holders, bringing the total transaction value to approximately $3.85 billion.

In a statement to the press, Scopely highlighted that Niantic's games boast over 30 million monthly active users (MAUs), more than 20 million weekly active users, and generated over $1 billion in revenue in 2024. Pokémon Go, in particular, stands out as a flagship title, consistently ranking among the top 10 mobile games since its launch almost a decade ago and engaging over 100 million unique players in 2024.

Niantic expressed optimism about the future of its games under Scopely's ownership, stating, "This partnership ensures that our games have the long-term support needed to be 'forever games' that will endure for future generations." They assured players that the games, apps, services, and events they enjoy will continue to receive investment and be developed by the same dedicated teams.

Scopely has bought Niantic's entire games business for $3.5 billion. Image credit: Scopely.

In a separate blog post, Ed Wu, the chief of Pokémon Go, addressed the community's concerns regarding the game's future. Wu, who played a pivotal role in the game's development since its launch in 2016, emphasized Scopely's admiration for the community and the team. He stated, "I have every belief Pokémon GO will further flourish as part of Scopely, not only into its second decade, but for many more years to come, under the mission of discovering Pokémon in the real world and inspiring people to explore together."

Wu reassured players that the entire Pokémon Go team will remain intact, continuing to develop the game with the same passion and focus on features like Raid Battles, friends, Go Battle League, Routes, Dynamax/Gigantamax, and live events such as Pokémon Go Fest. He highlighted Scopely's approach of empowering game teams to pursue their creative roadmaps, expressing confidence in Scopely's ability to support Pokémon Go's long-term vision.

Wu also acknowledged the ongoing partnership with The Pokémon Company, crediting them for their integral role in shaping the game from the beginning. He emphasized that the game's evolution will continue to be guided by the same principles and community engagement that have driven its success.

In other news, Niantic is spinning off its geospatial AI business into a new entity called Niantic Spatial Inc., which will continue to operate Ingress Prime and Peridot. Scopely is investing $50 million in this new venture, while Niantic itself is contributing $200 million to accelerate the growth of this new company.