Pokémon Go Dev Soothes Players Post $3.5B Sale to Monopoly Go! Firm

Niantic Inc. has announced the sale of its key mobile games, including 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 a staggering $3.5 billion. This deal also includes an additional $350 million in cash from Niantic, bringing the total value to approximately $3.85 billion for Niantic's equity holders.

Scopely, in a press note, highlighted the robust performance of Niantic's games, boasting over 30 million monthly active users (MAUs), more than 20 million weekly active users, and generating over $1 billion in revenue in 2024 alone. Pokémon Go, in particular, remains a powerhouse in the mobile gaming industry, consistently ranking among the top 10 mobile games since its launch nearly a decade ago, with over 100 million unique players in 2024.

Niantic emphasized that their game teams are poised to continue their work on ambitious long-term roadmaps under Scopely’s umbrella. “This partnership ensures that our games have the long-term support needed to be ‘forever games’ that will endure for future generations,” Niantic stated in a blog post. They reassured players that the games, apps, services, and events they enjoy will continue to receive investment and be developed by the same teams.

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

In a separate blog post, Pokémon Go chief Ed Wu addressed community concerns about the game's future post-sale. Wu, who has been integral to Pokémon Go since its inception, expressed confidence in the partnership with Scopely. "Scopely expressed a deep admiration for this community and our team. 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 stated.

Wu also highlighted the continuity of the Pokémon Go team and their ongoing projects, including Raid Battles, friends, Go Battle League, Routes, and live events like Pokémon Go Fest. He emphasized Scopely's approach to empowering game teams to pursue their creative visions and roadmaps, which aligns well with Niantic's values. "Scopely’s status as a private company also means we can prioritize what’s best for you, our Trainers, for the long term," Wu added.

The partnership with The Pokémon Company will continue to be central to the game's development, with Wu expressing gratitude for their ongoing collaboration and shared vision.

Niantic also announced the spin-off of its geospatial AI business into a new entity, Niantic Spatial Inc., which will operate independently and continue to manage other real-world AR games such as Ingress Prime and Peridot. Scopely has invested $50 million in this new venture, with Niantic contributing an additional $200 million.

Wu concluded with a message of optimism and gratitude, looking forward to the future of Pokémon Go and its community. "I have so much gratitude for the incredible joy of serving hundreds of millions of Trainers in our real-world community for the past nine years, and I truly believe the best is yet to come."