Pokemon GO maker Niantic bought by Scopely for $3.5 billion

Niantic, the makers of the hit app Pokemon GO have just been acquired by Scopely, a mobile gaming firm, for $3.5 billion.

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Scopely has already established portfolio of mobile games, such as Monoloply Go, Stumble Guys, Star Trek TM Fleet Command, and Marvel Strike Force. Now, Scopely can add Niantic's video game business under its belt, which has been helmed by longtime leaders Kei Kawai and Ed Wu, who will remain on as studio heads. Pokemon GO launched in 2016 and quickly became a global phenomenon, drawing in millions of players, and even today, it still remains in the top 10 apps with more than 100 million players in 2024.

One of the main aspects of Pokemon GO and it's attractiveness is the social element, which has evolved into more than just catching Pokemon with your friends as themed festivals and events around the world have been setup in celebration of the game. Scopely even mentioned this in its press release, with the company stating that more people attended Pokemon GO Fest last year than Coachella, Lollapalooza, Glastonbury, Electric Daisy Carnival, and Tomorrowland combined.

Additionally, other metrics such as Google Seach volume offer an anecdotal insight into the staying power of Pokemon Go within the market, with Pokemon GO ranking nearly eight times higher than the No.1 movie on Netflix, and nearly 100 times higher than the top song on Spotify. Pokemon GO also beat out superstars such as Cristiano Ronaldo.

"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