Staff Reporter
The Pokémon GO crew, Niantic, has sold this highly popular title to Saudi-owned Scopely in an incredible deal worth 3.5 billion dollars. The deal went down on March 12, 2025. Under the agreement, Niantic will reward its investors $350m. Niantic CEO and founder John Hanke will also take charge of the company’s new and pioneering AI activity, Niantic Spatial, to continue improving the titles and creating forever games.
“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 the Niantic CEO John Hanke, hinting at his vision of a shared goal with Scopely to keep the existing community and titles thriving.
A Mega Deal with Saudi Arabia
Niantic’s sale to Scopely was funded by the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund (PIF) via the Savvy Games Group. The deal also includes some of its other titles, like Monster Hunter Now and Pikmin Bloom. The Ninatic teams behind the games will also move across.
Why sell now? Pokémon GO blew up in 2016 and raked in $6 billion by 2020, but Niantic’s been chasing that high ever since. It has already had to axe some of its projects, such as its Harry Potter: Wizards Unite, and had to lay off 230 of its staff in 2023. Scopely is not new to this industry, having already created titles like Monopoly Go, and it sees this as a golden opportunity.
Saudi Arabia’s PIFs have enough funds, with $930 billion in the bank, to shake things up. They are betting on this gaming purchase to diversify their portfolio beyond Fossil Fuels, which is seen as an innovative and strategic move.
Our expert says, “This deal isn’t just about games. It’s a shift that could significantly influence the overall entertainment value and future trends.”
According to the experts, it represents a push to expand global influence.
Pokémon GO New Trends
Pokémon GO has retained a loyal following since its 2016 release, with around 30 million monthly players. Millions of players were walking the streets and parks when it launched to capture these characters.
Today you can run around the city and catch pokemons or catch pokémon at home. You can even make money doing it. How do you ask? It’s very simple. As a result of the popularity of Pokemon games, many casinos have developed slots based on the theme. As a result, players can not only catch animals online, but also earn money from it. And selected no deposit bonus codes, about which the brand Slotsjudge, will help to first try out the games in the selected casinos and after that make a decision about further play.
Since its launch, times have changed a lot, and Scopely has plans for Pokémon GO, with their AR magic, to kick off real-world meetups.
Saudi Arabia hosted the 2024 Esports World Cup with a massive $60 million prize pool. This industry is increasing yearly. Statista predicts the global market will keep expanding and reach $4.8 billion in revenue in 2025. The high-end tech and purchase of Niantic could fuel this trend, blending AR (Augmented reality) with these competitions.
Here’s how it might play out:
- Live Events: Pokémon GO tournaments could mirror esports by providing odds on the top players.
- Pay-to-Win Events: Exclusive Pokémon or items might get locked behind paywalls, like Master Balls, for cash only.
What’s Next for Players?
Scopely’s takeover doesn’t mean Pokémon GO is fading, instead, it’s evolving. “First, Pokémon GO is more than just a game to me; it’s my life’s work. I’ve been part of Niantic since 2012 and deeply involved in many of our projects. In 2015, I was the original engineer on the Pokémon GO codebase, and in 2016, launched the game,” said Ed Wu, Niantic’s studio lead.
He promises to keep the game’s spirit alive under its new ownership. Scopely’s knack for live-service games could increase the number of events, boosting engagement and player opportunities.
But it’s not all smooth sailing. Niantic kept its AR mapping tech, spinning it into Niantic Spatial with $250 million in funding: $200 million will come from Niantic and $50 million from Scopely. With this split, we can imagine a future where geospatial AI and gaming diverge, leaving players to focus on Scopely’s playbook.
This $3.5 billion deal is more than a transaction—it’s a bet on this game’s future. For players, it’s a promise of bigger adventures. It’s also a chance to cash in on AR-driven action with selected no-deposit bonus codes. This mobile game shakeup’s got everyone watching their next moves.
