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

The acquisition by Saudi-owned Scopely raises concerns over monetization, data privacy, and the future of the beloved AR game.

Niantic has sold its gaming division, including Pokémon Go, Pikmin Bloom, and Monster Hunter Now, to Scopely for $3.5 billion, with an additional $350 million contributed by Niantic for stakeholders.
Scopely, a mobile game developer owned by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, has a reputation for heavy monetization practices, leading to player concerns about increased paywalls and ads in Pokémon Go.
Niantic will spin off its geospatial AI business into a new company, Niantic Spatial, while retaining AR titles like Ingress Prime and Peridot.
The acquisition has sparked fears about the handling of Pokémon Go’s extensive location data under Scopely and its Saudi owners, with no clear details provided on future data use or privacy policies.
While Scopely and Niantic have reassured players that the Pokémon Go development team will remain intact, fans remain skeptical about potential changes to gameplay and community events.