Scopely Acquires Niantic, Developer of Pokémon GO

Scopely has recently announced its acquisition of Niantic in a deal valued at $3.5 billion, bringing major augmented reality games like Pokémon GO, Pikmin Bloom, and Monster Hunter Now under its wing. Pokémon GO, despite being nearly a decade old, continues to thrive with over 100 million unique players in 2024, maintaining its position in the top 10 mobile games every year since its 2016 launch.

Pikmin Bloom, launched by Niantic in partnership with Nintendo in 2021, will now be managed by Scopely. The game, which encourages players to plant virtual flowers while walking, saw a significant rise in popularity in 2024, with players logging an astonishing 3.94 trillion steps. In-person events in Japan, the U.S., and Germany attracted thousands of enthusiasts.

Monster Hunter Now, Niantic's latest addition since its September 2023 launch, has already surpassed 15 million downloads. Alongside the games, Niantic's development teams and companion apps such as Campfire and Wayfarer are also transitioning to Scopely. Campfire facilitates real-world gameplay connections, and in 2024, it helped more than six million players attend in-person events. Wayfarer, on the other hand, has added over 11.5 million new location points since its inception in 2019.

What Does the Scopely and Niantic Deal Mean for Players?

For players, the immediate impact of this acquisition is minimal. Scopely's portfolio already includes successful titles like MONOPOLY GO!, Stumble Guys, Star Trek Fleet Command, and MARVEL Strike Force, suggesting that Niantic's games will continue to flourish. Scopely has committed to enhancing the development teams' resources and introducing innovative features such as new AR interactions to Niantic's games. It will be interesting to see how these enhancements are rolled out in the near future.

On a related note, don't miss out on the Pokémon GO Festival of Colors, available on the Google Play Store. Also, be sure to catch up on the latest news regarding KartRider Rush+ Season 31, which features a Journey to the West theme.