Scopely Acquires Niantic, Developer of Pokémon GO

Scopely has recently made headlines with its acquisition of Niantic, a major player in the augmented reality gaming world. This business deal, valued at $3.5 billion, brings some of the most popular AR games under Scopely's umbrella, including Pokémon GO, Pikmin Bloom, and Monster Hunter Now. Pokémon GO, despite being nearly a decade old, continues to attract a massive audience, boasting over 100 million unique players in 2024 alone. It has consistently ranked in the top 10 mobile games every year since its launch in 2016.

Pikmin Bloom, launched by Niantic in partnership with Nintendo in 2021, will now be managed by Scopely. This game encourages players to plant virtual flowers as they walk, and it experienced a significant surge in popularity in 2024. Last year, players logged an impressive 3.94 trillion steps, and in-person events in Japan, the U.S., and Germany drew thousands of fans.

Monster Hunter Now, Niantic's latest addition, launched in September 2023 and has already surpassed 15 million downloads. Alongside the games, Niantic's development teams and companion apps like Campfire and Wayfarer are also transitioning to Scopely. Campfire facilitates real-world gameplay connections, while Wayfarer helps map new locations for Niantic games. In 2024, over six million players attended in-person events through Campfire, and Wayfarer has added more than 11.5 million new location points since its inception in 2019.

What Does the Scopely and Niantic Deal Mean for Players?

For players, the transition to Scopely should be seamless. Scopely's existing portfolio, which includes popular titles like MONOPOLY GO!, Stumble Guys, Star Trek Fleet Command, and MARVEL Strike Force, suggests that Niantic's games will continue to thrive. Scopely has committed to providing additional resources to the development teams and introducing new AR experiences to enhance the Niantic games. It will be exciting to see these enhancements rolled out in the near future.

In the meantime, don't miss out on Pokémon GO's Festival of Colors, available on the Google Play Store. And before you go, take a look at our coverage of KartRider Rush+ Season 31, featuring Journey to the West.