Scopely Inc, which is backed by the Saudi Arabian sovereign wealth fund, is buying the gaming business of Niantic Inc for $3.5 billion, in a deal which includes the hit mobile game Pokémon Go.
The other games which will be part of the deal include ‘Pikmin Bloom’ and ‘Monster Hunter’, along with companion apps and services 'Campfire' and 'Wayfarer'.
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Pokémon GO in particular, continues to rank as a top 10 mobile game every year since its launch nearly a decade ago, with 100 million+ unique players in 2024, Scopely wrote in its blog post, adding that the combined portfolio will “create one of the largest global player communities in the world, with over half a billion players in 2024 alone.”
“Scopely has always been focused on cultivating meaningful communities through a shared love of play, and the Niantic games organization is one of the best in the world at this endeavor," said Tim O’Brien, Chief Revenue Officer and Board Member of Scopely.
He added that Scopely is “extremely inspired by what the team has built over the last decade, delivering innovative experiences that captivate a vast, enduring global audience and get people out in the real world” and that they "look forward to further accelerating the team’s creativity through our partnership.”
{{/usCountry}}He added that Scopely is “extremely inspired by what the team has built over the last decade, delivering innovative experiences that captivate a vast, enduring global audience and get people out in the real world” and that they "look forward to further accelerating the team’s creativity through our partnership.”
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Niantic meanwhile, was founded by John Hanke who worked in satellite mapping before leading Google’s Geo product division.
The gaming division then went on to generate over $1 billion in revenue from 30 million monthly active users in 2024.
“Niantic games have always been a bridge to connect people and inspire exploration, and I am confident they will continue to do both as part of Scopely,” said John Hanke, founder and CEO of Niantic. “Scopely shares our focus on building and operating incredible live services, has exceptional experience working with the world's biggest and most beloved intellectual properties, and cares deeply about its player communities and game-making teams."
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He added that he believes "this partnership is great for our players and is the best way to ensure that our games have the long-term support and investment needed to be 'forever games' that will endure for future generations.”