Scopely Acquires Niantic, Developer of Pokémon GO

Scopely has recently announced a major acquisition of Niantic, bringing some of the biggest names in augmented reality gaming under its umbrella. This business deal, valued at $3.5 billion, includes popular titles such as Pokémon GO, Pikmin Bloom, and Monster Hunter Now. Pokémon GO, which has been a phenomenon since its launch in 2016, continues to attract a massive audience, boasting over 100 million unique players in 2024 alone. It has consistently ranked in the top 10 mobile games every year since its debut.

Pikmin Bloom, developed in collaboration with Nintendo and launched by Niantic in 2021, will now be managed by Scopely. This game, which encourages players to plant virtual flowers while walking, experienced a significant increase in popularity in 2024, with players logging an astonishing 3.94 trillion steps. Large in-person events in Japan, the U.S., and Germany attracted thousands of enthusiasts.

Monster Hunter Now, Niantic's latest offering since its launch in September 2023, has already surpassed 15 million downloads. Alongside the games, Niantic's development teams and companion apps like Campfire and Wayfarer are also transitioning to Scopely. Campfire facilitates real-world gameplay connections, while Wayfarer enables players to contribute new location points to Niantic games. In 2024, more than six million players participated in in-person events through Campfire, and Wayfarer has added over 11.5 million new location points since its inception in 2019.

What Does the Scopely and Niantic Deal Mean for Players?

For players, the transition to Scopely should be seamless. Scopely's existing portfolio, which includes games like MONOPOLY GO!, Stumble Guys, Star Trek Fleet Command, and MARVEL Strike Force, suggests that Niantic's titles will continue to thrive. Scopely has committed to enhancing the development teams with additional resources and introducing new augmented reality experiences to Niantic's games. It will be intriguing to see how these enhancements unfold in the near future.

In the meantime, don't miss out on Pokémon GO's Festival of Colors, available on the Google Play Store.

Before you go, take a look at our news on KartRider Rush+ launching Season 31, featuring Journey to the West.