Niantic Inc. has announced the sale of its gaming division, including popular titles like 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 $3.5 billion. Additionally, Niantic will distribute $350 million in cash to its equity holders, bringing the total transaction value to approximately $3.85 billion.
In a press release, Scopely highlighted that Niantic's gaming portfolio boasts over 30 million monthly active users (MAUs) and more than 20 million weekly active users, generating over $1 billion in revenue in 2024. Pokémon Go, a standout title since its launch nearly a decade ago, continues to rank among the top 10 mobile games annually, attracting over 100 million unique players in 2024.
Niantic emphasized the long-term potential of its games, stating that the development teams have "exciting long-term roadmaps" that will be pursued under Scopely's ownership. "This partnership ensures that our games have the long-term support needed to be 'forever games' that will endure for future generations," the company noted in a blog post. Players can expect continued investment and the same level of dedication from the existing teams behind these beloved games, apps, services, and events.
Pokémon Go's chief, Ed Wu, addressed community concerns in a separate blog post, reassuring players about the game's future. Wu, an original engineer on the Pokémon Go codebase present during its monumental 2016 launch, 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 highlighted the continuity of the Pokémon Go team and their commitment to ongoing development, including Raid Battles, friends, Go Battle League, Routes, Dynamax/Gigantamax, and live events like Pokémon Go Fest. He emphasized Scopely's support for autonomous game development, allowing teams to pursue their inspired roadmaps. "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, stressing the shared vision with Scopely to protect and enhance Pokémon Go's community and longevity.
Niantic also announced the spin-off of its geospatial AI business into a new entity, Niantic Spatial Inc., which will allow for faster acceleration and scaling. Scopely has invested $50 million in this venture, while Niantic itself is contributing $200 million. Niantic Spatial will continue to manage and develop other real-world AR games, such as Ingress Prime and Peridot.
