Saudi-Backed Scopely Snags Pokémon Go Studio Niantic in Blockbuster $3.5B Acquisition
Let’s cut through the corpo-speak: Niantic, the studio that turned your neighborhood park into a Pikachu hunting ground, is handing over the keys to its kingdom. Saudi Arabia’s Scopely just dropped $3.5 billion to buy Niantic’s gaming arm—Pokémon Go, Monster Hunter Now, and all—in a deal that reeks of geopolitical ambition and corporate desperation.
I’ve seen my share of gaming acquisitions, but this one? It’s like watching a Charizard get caught by Team Rocket. Remember when Pokémon Go had us all sweating through summer walks in 2016? That magic never quite stuck with Niantic’s later projects. Marvel? Dead. Harry Potter? Shelved. Even Peridot, their Tamagotchi-esque AR pet sim, feels like a forgotten Digimon.
John Hanke, Niantic’s CEO, insists this is about “long-term support” for players. Sure, Jan. Let’s not pretend this isn’t a lifeline. After laying off 310 employees and axing half their pipeline, Niantic’s spinning off into “Niantic Spatial,” a mapping tech startup. Meanwhile, Scopely—the Saudi PIF-backed titan behind MONOPOLY GO!’s $2B revenue rush—gets the crown jewels: Pokémon Go’s 20M weekly players and Monster Hunter Now’s meteoric rise.
But here’s the kicker: Saudi Arabia isn’t just buying games; they’re buying influence. The PIF’s $4.9B Scopely grab in 2023 was a warm-up. Now, with Niantic’s catalog, they’ve got a foothold in AR gaming’s bleeding edge. Tim O’Brien, Scopely’s CRO, teased this “megadeal” last year as a play for “global franchises.” Translation: Pokémon Go prints money, even if its $8.5B lifetime haul is slowing.
Players, brace yourselves. Scopely loves live-service hooks—think Stumble Guys’ battle passes or MONOPOLY GO!’s sticker-fueled FOMO. Pokémon Go’s already seen grumbling over paid raids and $5 “Ticket of Doom” events. Now? Imagine Mewtwo locked behind a $10 monthly sub.
Yet, there’s a glimmer of hope. Ed Wu, Pokémon Go’s SVP, promises Scopely will make it “the very best it can be.” Maybe that means smoother events, better anti-cheat, or finally fixing that glitchy GBL. Or maybe it’s corporate hopium. Either way, Niantic’s golden goose is now Saudi-owned—and the gaming world just got a lot more complicated.
This isn’t just a sale. It’s a seismic shift in who controls the bridge between our screens and sidewalks. Grab your Poké Balls, folks. The new overlords have a lot of microtransactions to sell.
Revenue Snapshot (Pokémon Go):
| Year | Revenue | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2016-2023 | $7.9B lifetime | Peak years: $1.2B annually |
| 2024 | $796.6M | Excludes web shop earnings |
What Stays, What Goes:
| To Scopely | Remains with Niantic Spatial |
|---|---|
| Pokémon Go | Ingress Prime |
| Monster Hunter Now | Peridot |
| Pikmin Bloom | Scaniverse app |
| Campfire/Wayfarer apps | Geospatial mapping projects |
What is Scopely’s connection to Saudi Arabia?
Scopely is owned by Savvy Games Group, a Saudi gaming conglomerate funded by the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF).
Will Pokémon Go change under Scopely?
Scopely claims games will stay true to their roots, but expect deeper live-service monetization given their track record with MONOPOLY GO!.
What happens to Niantic after the sale?
Niantic rebrands as Niantic Spatial, focusing on AR mapping tech, while Scopely takes over its games like Pokémon Go.
Why did Niantic sell its games division?
Struggling to replicate Pokémon Go’s success, layoffs, and canceled projects (Marvel, Harry Potter) forced Niantic to “trim the fat.
How much has Pokémon Go earned since 2016?
Roughly $7.9B globally, though 2024 revenue dipped to $796.6M—its first sub-$1B year since launch.
