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, stated that Niantic's games boast 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 top 10 mobile game since its launch, had over 100 million unique players in 2024.

Niantic assures players that its game teams will continue building upon existing long-term roadmaps under Scopely's ownership. The company emphasized that games, apps, services, and events will continue to receive investment and be maintained by the original development teams.

Pokémon Go's chief, Ed Wu, addressed player concerns, emphasizing Scopely's admiration for the community and team. He expressed confidence that Pokémon Go will continue to thrive under Scopely's leadership, extending its success into its second decade and beyond. Wu highlighted Scopely's commitment to supporting the team and providing resources to maintain the existing gameplay. He confirmed the entire Pokémon Go team will remain intact, continuing to develop new features such as Raid Battles, Go Battle League, Routes, and live events like Pokémon Go Fest. He emphasized Scopely's autonomous approach to game development, allowing teams to pursue their own roadmaps. Wu also highlighted Scopely's long-term focus and commitment to the Pokémon Go community, including its Community Leaders and Ambassadors program. He reiterated the continued strong partnership with The Pokémon Company. While acknowledging the game will continue to evolve, he assured players the core creative process will remain consistent.

Separately, Niantic is launching Niantic Spatial Inc., a new company focused on its geospatial AI business. Scopely is a $50 million investor in this venture, which also received $200 million from Niantic. Niantic Spatial will retain ownership and operation of Ingress Prime and Peridot.