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

Scopely, a subsidiary of the Saudi investment firm Savvy Games, announced that Niantic's games division boasts 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 consistently top 10 mobile game since its launch nearly a decade ago, attracted over 100 million unique players in 2024.

Niantic stated that its game teams have ambitious long-term plans and will continue development under Scopely's umbrella. The company emphasized that this partnership ensures the long-term viability of its games, promising continued investment and support from the original development teams. Players can expect ongoing development of games, apps, services, and events.

Pokémon Go's chief, Ed Wu, addressed player concerns in a separate blog post. Wu, a key figure in Pokémon Go's creation and 2016 launch, expressed confidence that the partnership with Scopely will benefit the game and its community. He highlighted Scopely's admiration for the game and its players, emphasizing their commitment to long-term growth and continued development of the core Pokémon Go experience. He reassured players that the existing team will remain intact, continuing to deliver updates like Raid Battles, Go Battle League, and live events like Pokémon Go Fest. Wu emphasized Scopely's supportive approach, allowing individual game teams autonomy to pursue their creative visions. He also highlighted Scopely's private company status, allowing for long-term prioritization over short-term gains. Wu concluded by expressing gratitude for the Pokémon Go community and his belief in a bright future for the game under Scopely's ownership. He also acknowledged the continued partnership with The Pokémon Company.

Niantic is separately spinning off its geospatial AI business into Niantic Spatial Inc., receiving $50 million in investment from Scopely and $200 million from Niantic itself. Niantic Spatial will retain ownership and operation of Ingress Prime and Peridot.