Niantic Labs says it is selling its video game division, including Pokémon Go, to Saudi Arabia-owned developer Scopely for $3.5B, subject to regulatory approval

The $3.5 billion Scopely deal could bring Niantic's AR gaming catalog under Saudi ownership.

The Verge 2025-03-12 Jess Weatherbed

Context & Ripple Effects

The announcement confirms the previously reported negotiations and extends Scopely’s role as Savvy Games Group’s mobile-game vehicle. Savvy’s earlier acquisition of Scopely established the ownership structure now reaching Niantic’s games portfolio.

The deal matters because Scopely’s reported player base would exceed 500 million after the transaction, according to coverage of the combined audience. It turns a single-game acquisition into a broader consolidation of mobile live-service reach.

First-order effects

Subject to approval, Niantic’s games operation and its flagship title move under Scopely, separating that business from Niantic’s remaining operations.
Scopely gains a larger operating portfolio and player audience within the Saudi-owned Savvy Games Group structure.

Second-order effects

The combined portfolio increases Scopely’s leverage in mobile-game publishing, marketing and cross-promotion as it manages audiences spanning its existing titles and Niantic’s games.
The transaction raises the importance of regulatory review for cross-border ownership of a major consumer-game platform, since closing is explicitly conditional on approval.

Third-order effects

If repeated, acquisitions by state-backed game groups could concentrate ownership of enduring mobile-game communities in fewer global operators.
The deal is another test of whether mobile-game value increasingly sits in long-lived player networks and operating capabilities rather than in individual hit launches.

The trend: State-backed capital is using established mobile-game operators to assemble portfolios of persistent global player communities.

Discussion

@calbucci Marcelo Calbucci on bluesky
Buying 10 years of location data of 600+ million people from 150+ countries, including military personal, government agents, and journalists for $3.5B is a bargain! [embedded post]
@mgsiegler M.G. Siegler on x
...and even more incredible that they get this outcome while still getting to continue work on the underlying ideas — only now in our new age of AI. https://nianticlabs.com/...
@mgsiegler M.G. Siegler on x
So proud of @msquinn for seeing this through over so many years and so many hats — early collaborator, investor, COO, board member — doing so over the past couple of years from afar at ungodly hours...
@cecianasta @cecianasta on x
Niantic confirmed our scoop that it's selling Pokemon Go to Scopely for $3.5b. But I don't see people talking about its new company Niantic Spatial, which will build a high-fidelity 3D map based on a “proprietary database” of “30 billion posed images” 👀 https://nianticlabs.com/..…
@msquinn Megan Quinn on x
Today we're announcing two very important updates to @NianticLabs. First, we're thrilled to share that we've reached an agreement to sell Pokémon GO, Pikmin Bloom, and Monster Hunter Now to Scopely for a total transaction value of $3.85 billion. Scopely has a long history of
@lewchube @lewchube on x
Pokemon GO's development team being suddenly acquired by a random ass company should shock me but given how consistently Niantic has fumbled for literally ten fucking years idk man. easily the most predatory thing to come out of this series. any possibility of change is welcome […
@joemerrick Joe Merrick on x
I am in two minds about this. Niantic in recent years have been making decisions that have damaged Pokémon GO while pushing Niantic's core beliefs, and it's resulted in tickets for every event to make up for it. However, I'm hesitant due to monetisation in Scopely's other games
@nianticlabs @nianticlabs on x
Today we're announcing changes at Niantic that will set us on a bold new course. We have reached an agreement for Scopely to acquire Pokémon GO, Pikmin Bloom, Monster Hunter Now, and the incredible teams working on these experiences. And we're spinning off our pioneering
@scopely @scopely on x
🚨Big news🚨@Scopely is set to acquire @NianticLabs' games business, including @PokemonGoApp, @PikminBloom, and @MH_Now_EN, and all the talented people on the game development teams. These games, and their communities, have made a huge impact and we're committed to ensuring these […
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Pokémon Go developer Niantic to sell gaming business to Saudi group
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Niantic's Next Chapter: Introducing a New Home for Niantic Games and a New Future for Niantic Spatial Inc.

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