Niantic Assures Players That Pokemon GO's Core Design Will Remain Unchanged After $3.5B Scopely Acquisition

Niantic leadership reassures fans that intrusive ads and playtime restrictions will not be introduced, but concerns persist over monetization and data privacy under Scopely's ownership.

Scopely, a Saudi-backed publisher, has officially acquired Niantic, the developer of Pokemon GO, for $3.5 billion.
Michael Steranka, senior product director at Niantic, stated that Scopely recognizes Pokemon GO's unique appeal and will not introduce intrusive ads or playtime restrictions.
Niantic developers have reportedly been assured they will retain autonomy over the game's core design and decision-making processes.
Fans remain skeptical about potential future monetization changes, given Scopely's track record with other games like Monopoly Go.
The acquisition has also raised concerns about the handling of geolocation data collected by Pokemon GO under Scopely's ownership.