Niantic, the developer behind Pokémon Go, has recently announced significant changes in its business structure. Here are the key points related to Niantic and Pokémon Go:
Niantic's Business Shift
- Sale of Gaming Division: Niantic has sold its gaming division, including the studio responsible for Pokémon Go, to Scopely, a mobile games giant, for $3.5 billion[1][3][5].
- Focus on AI and Mapping: Niantic is shifting its focus towards developing geospatial artificial intelligence and mapping technologies under a new entity called Niantic Spatial**[1][3][4].
- Retention of Certain Games: Niantic will retain control over some of its augmented reality games, such as Ingress and Peridot**[4].
Impact on Pokémon Go
- New Ownership: Pokémon Go is now under the ownership of Scopely, which may lead to changes in the game's development and direction[1][8].
- Future Developments: The future of Pokémon Go under Scopely is uncertain, but Scopely has expressed enthusiasm for accelerating the team's creativity[1][7].
Scopely's Acquisition
- Portfolio Expansion: Scopely's acquisition adds Pokémon Go, Pikmin Bloom, and Monster Hunter Now to its portfolio, which already includes titles like Monopoly Go and Marvel Strike Force**[1][5].
- Investment in Niantic Spatial: Scopely will also be an investor in Niantic Spatial, indicating a continued partnership with Niantic in its new ventures[1].
Citations:
[1] https://techxplore.com/news/2025-03-monopoly-game-maker-scopely-buy.html
[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pok%C3%A9mon_Go
[3] https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Business-deals/Pokemon-Go-developer-Niantic-to-sell-game-business-with-payout-for-Nintendo
[4] https://www.cnet.com/tech/computing/pokemon-go-has-a-new-owner-but-niantics-evolving-its-maps-into-a-way-to-evolve-ai-and-ar/
[5] https://economictimes.com/news/international/us/pokemongo-scopely-acquisition-niantic-sale-2025/articleshow/118945265.cms
[6] https://www.scopely.com/en/news/why-scopely-is-teaming-up-with-niantic-games
[7] https://pokemongohub.net/post/news/niantics-michael-steranka-and-mark-van-lommel-discuss-pokemon-gos-future-under-scopely/
[8] https://www.forbes.com/sites/paultassi/2025/03/12/niantic-just-sold-off-pokmon-go-so-what-changes-now/
[9] https://kotaku.com/pokemon-go-scopely-niantic-saudi-arabia-monster-hunter-1851769360