‘Pokemon Go’ Studio Niantic Sold in $3.5B Deal to Mobile Gaming Giant Scopely

Through a transaction that redefines the mobile gaming industry, Scopely is purchasing Niantic‘s gaming division for a whopping $3.5 billion. This move adds popular franchises such as Pokémon Go, Pikmin Bloom, and Monster Hunter Now to their collection of properties.

Scopely, known for creating several hit mobile games such as “Monopoly Go!”, “Star Trek Fleet Command”, and “Marvel Strike Force”, has recently expanded its collection to include the well-loved titles from Niantic, most notably “Pokémon Go”.

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Scopely, the studio behind popular mobile games like “Monopoly Go!”, “Star Trek Fleet Command”, and “Marvel Strike Force”, has added Niantic’s gaming library, headlined by the ever-popular “Pokémon Go”, to its portfolio.

Beyond the thrill of the games, Scopely is set to embrace Niantic’s companion apps and services like Campfire and Wayfarer too. As a fan, I’m excited about this move because Niantic’s gaming segment boasts over 30 million monthly active players, and raked in over $1 billion in revenue in the year 2024!

Still, there is no doubt that Pokémon Go is the star attraction of the deal.

Among the most played mobile games ever, and stemming from one of the most renowned intellectual properties of all time (alongside classic Nintendo games, various TV series and films exist), this game boasts over 20 million weekly active users. Niantic has also broadened the game to include live events, a development that Scopely plans to carry on.

Pokémon Go employs augmented reality technology, enabling players to traverse their actual surroundings while capturing Pokémons on the go, engaging in combat to dominate gyms.

Ed Wu, senior VP of Pokémon Go, expressed his delight over the past 10 years of serving over hundreds of millions of trainers within their global community, confidently stating that even greater achievements lie ahead. His unwavering mission has always been to motivate people to seek and find Pokémon together in reality. With Scopely’s dedication, expertise, and resources, they aim to optimize Pokémon Go to its full potential – offering thrilling battles for massive crowds at live events and innovative means of connecting with friends and the community. Above all, they will continue prioritizing the exhilaration and adventure that comes from discovering Pokémon in the real world.

Scopely has consistently aimed to foster engaging communities centered around play, and the Niantic games company is one of the premier organizations globally in achieving this goal. We are deeply inspired by the incredible work the team has done over the past decade, creating groundbreaking experiences that captivate a massive, enduring international audience and encourage people to step outside. We eagerly anticipate boosting the team’s creativity through our collaboration,” stated Tim O’Brien, Scopely’s chief revenue officer and board member. “Few games worldwide have achieved the scale and longevity of Pokémon Go, which boasted over 100 million players last year alone. What sets this game apart is its unique capability to promote real-life interactions, as evidenced by the massive turnouts at Pokémon Go live events. After meeting with the Niantic team, it was evident that they share our dedication to producing top-tier outcomes and memorable player experiences. We are excited for a promising future together.

As part of the arrangement, the remnants of Niantic will be separated into a fresh geospatial AI company named Niantic Spatial Inc., with its founder John Hanke at the helm. This new entity will retain control over the games Ingress Prime and Peridot.

Hanke expressed his conviction that Niantic’s games, which have consistently served as a means to connect people and foster exploration, will continue to do so within Scopely. He pointed out that Scopely aligns with our focus on creating and maintaining exceptional live services, boasts extensive experience collaborating with some of the world’s most popular intellectual properties, and values both its player communities and game development teams. Hanke is confident that this partnership will be beneficial for players, ensuring that our games receive the ongoing support and investment necessary to become ‘everlasting’ games that will continue to captivate future generations.

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2025-03-12 15:24