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“Scopely Acquires Niantic’s Gaming Division for $3.5 Billion: What This Means for Pokémon GO and More”
In a massive deal announced on Wednesday, mobile gaming giant Scopely has agreed to acquire Niantic’s gaming division for a staggering $3.5 billion. This acquisition will include Niantic’s popular games such as Pokémon GO, Pikmin Bloom, Monster Hunter Now, Campfire, and Wayfarer.
As Niantic shifts its focus to building real-world 3D maps through a new entity called Niantic Spatial, led by CEO John Hanke, all employees working on Niantic’s games will join the Scopely team. Niantic Spatial will receive a cash infusion of $250 million, with both Niantic and Scopely contributing to this investment.
Players can expect the spirit of Niantic games, apps, and events to remain intact under Scopely’s ownership. While the future roadmap for Niantic’s games has not been specified, the company will continue to operate Ingress Prime and pet simulator game Peridot under Spatial.
Despite past successes, Niantic has faced challenges in replicating the monumental success of Pokémon GO. The company has made strategic decisions following the pandemic, discontinuing projects such as NBA, Harry Potter, and Marvel games, and implementing layoffs in recent years.
Looking ahead, Niantic will prioritize the collection of real-life location-related data points. With initiatives like the Scaniverse app allowing users to create models of real-world objects, Niantic aims to build a rich 3D map of the world using machine learning technologies.
As the gaming industry continues to evolve, the acquisition of Niantic’s gaming division by Scopely signals an exciting new chapter for both companies and the future of mobile gaming.
