Mobile gaming giant Scopely is set to acquire the games division of Niantic, the software developer behind “Pokémon Go,” “Pikmin Bloom” and “Monster Hunter Now,” in a deal valued at $3.5 billion.
Under the terms of the sale, which is subject to regulatory approvals, Niantic’s game teams will continue to be overseen by studio leaders Kei Kawai and Ed Wu as they join a workforce of more than 2,300 Scopely employees.
With this transaction, Scopely, whose most notable titles include “Monopoly Go!,” “Stumble Guys,” “Star Trek Fleet Command” and “Marvel Strike Force,” will now acquire Scopely’s full portfolio of games “Pokémon Go,” “Pikmin Bloom,” “Monster Hunter Now,” as well as apps Campfire and Wayfarer.
Following the acquisition of Niantic’s games team by Scopely, Niantic will spin off its technology platform into a new standalone entity, Niantic Spatial Inc, which will be led by Niantic founder and CEO John Hanke. The new organization will be a “geospatial AI company powered by a next generation map, enabling devices and machines to understand and interact with the physical world.” The company will continue to own and operate AR games “Ingress Prime” and “Peridot.”
“Scopely has always been focused on cultivating meaningful communities through a shared love of play, and the Niantic games organization is one of the best in the world at this endeavor. We are extremely inspired by what the team has built over the last decade, delivering innovative experiences that captivate
a vast, enduring global audience and get people out in the real world. We look forward to further accelerating the team’s creativity through our partnership,” said Tim O’Brien, Chief Revenue Officer
and Board Member of Scopely. “Few games in the world have delivered the scale and longevity of ‘Pokémon GO’, which reached over 100 million players just last year. The experience also stands apart for its unique ability to foster in-person connections, with Pokémon GO live events attracting millions of attendees. After spending time with the Niantic team, it quickly became clear that this organization shares our inclination to create industry-leading outcomes and exceptional player experiences. We look forward to a bright future ahead.”
“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 John Hanke, founder and CEO of Niantic. “Scopely shares our focus on building and operating incredible live services, has exceptional experience working with the world’s biggest and most beloved intellectual properties, and cares deeply about its player communities and game-making teams. I firmly believe this partnership is great for our players and is the best way to ensure that our games have the long-term support and investment needed to be ‘forever games’ that will endure for future generations.”
“It’s been an incredible joy to serve hundreds of millions of Trainers in our real-world community for the
past 10 years, and I truly believe the best is yet to come,” said Ed Wu, SVP of “Pokémon Go.” “Our
mission remains clear: to inspire people to discover Pokémon in the real world together. With Scopely’s
full commitment, experience, and resources, we’re going to make ‘Pokémon Go’ the very best it can be –
from incredible battles for thousands of Trainers at a time at our live events to new ways to connect to
your friends and community. Most importantly, we’ll remain focused on the excitement and experience of
discovering Pokémon in the real world.”
