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Scopely, a subsidiary of Savvy Games, itself owned by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, has announced that it will be acquiring the entirety of Pokémon Go developer Niantic’s video games division.
The acquisition, which will see Scopely pay $3.5 billion USD, subject to regulatory approval, will see all of Niantic’s game development divisions be moved under the Scopely banner. Scopely says that the acquisition will include Niantic’s entire game development teams, including those on Pokémon Go, Pikmin Bloom, and Monster Hunter Now, as well as Niantic’s companion services like Campfire and Wayfarer.
Scopely
In a press release, Scopely CRO Tim O’Brien said that the company looks forward to “accelerating the [Niantic development teams’] creativity,” praising Pokémon Go in particular.
“Few games in the world have delivered the scale and longevity of ‘Pokémon GO’, which reached over 100 million players just last year,” O’Brien said. “The experience also stands apart for its unique ability to foster in-person connections, with Pokémon GO live events attracting millions of attendees. After spending time with the Niantic team, it quickly became clear that this organization shares our inclination to create industry-leading outcomes and exceptional player experiences. We look forward to a bright future ahead.”
Pokémon Go lead Ed Wu said in a separate statement that he believes the acquisition to be a “positive step” for the game and its players. He also reassured players that the entire Pokémon Go team will be staying together, with Scopely reportedly encouraging its game teams to operate autonomously, saying that “a number of game leaders at Scopely have given [him] great confidence in how the company enables each game to independently develop and creatively thrive.”
Wu also said that the team’s partnership with The Pokémon Company will “continue as it has for the last decade,” and that while the game is likely to change, he hopes to make it an even better experience.
Scopely was founded in 2011 and saw early success with mobile games like Jewels with Buddies and Mini Golf MatchUp. It saw even greater success after partnering with Hasbro in 2015, launching an officially licensed Yahtzee game and ultimately launching Monopoly Go!, which became the biggest mobile game launch in 2023, with over $1 billion in revenue earned in its first year. The company was acquired by Savvy Games Group – a subsidiary of the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund which owns stakes in Nintendo, EA, Embracer, and more – in 2023, shortly after the release of Monopoly Go.