Niantic Sells Pokémon Go and Gaming Division to Scopely for $3.5 Billion

The acquisition by Saudi-owned Scopely includes Pokémon Go, Pikmin Bloom, and Monster Hunter Now, as Niantic shifts focus to geospatial AI technology.

Scopely, owned by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, will acquire Niantic's gaming division, including Pokémon Go, for $3.5 billion, pending regulatory approval.
Niantic will retain its geospatial AI platform, spinning it off into a new company called Niantic Spatial, which will focus on real-world 3D mapping and AI applications.
The current Pokémon Go development team will remain intact under Scopely, which has expressed commitment to supporting the game's long-term growth and community-driven experiences.
Concerns have emerged among players about potential changes to Pokémon Go's monetization practices, given Scopely's reputation for aggressive in-game monetization in other titles.
Pokémon Go remains a major global mobile game, with over 100 million unique players in 2024 and a history of fostering in-person community events worldwide.