Niantic Has Officially Sold Pokémon GO, What Does This Mean?
Pokemon GO has been a popular game since its release, having started as just an April Fools joke where Pokemon appeared on Google Maps and people drove to them for fun. After the success of the prank, Pokemon GO was born.
After many years of success, the game did have its ups and downs and players didn’t see it being sold until the deal was done. The deal was between Niantic and Scopely. Scopely is the studio behind the Monopoly Go! game, as well as games like Star Trek Fleet Command and Marvel Strike Force. However, Niantic is where Pokemon GO was born, having also made games like Pikmin Bloom and Monster Hunter Now. We are unsure where the company will center its focus now that it doesn’t have its golden child.
Niantic Sold Pokemon GO To Scopely For 3.5 Million Dollars
In the deal, Niantic sold Pokemon GO for a total of $3.5 million, and Scopely would be acquiring Niantic’s other apps like Campfire and Wayfarer as well, which are companion apps to Pokemon GO. It is also noted that Niantic has more than a total of 30 million active monthly players on its platforms, and was reported to have made more than 1 billion dollars in revenue last year. Scopely hit the jackpot on this deal.
“It’s been an incredible joy to serve hundreds of millions of Trainers in our real-world community for the past 10 years, and I truly believe the best is yet to come,” the senior VP of Pokemon GO, Ed Wu said. “Our mission remains clear: to inspire people to discover Pokemon in the real world together. With Scopely’s full commitment, experience, and resources, we’re going to make Pokemon GO the very best it can be - from incredible battles for thousands of Trainers at a time at our live events to new ways to connect to your friends and community. Most importantly, we’ll remain focused on the excitement and experience of discovering Pokemon in the real world.”
“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,” was added by Tim O’Brien, the chief revenue officer as well as board member of Scopely. “Few games in the world have delivered the scale and longevity of Pokemon GO, which reached over 100 players just last year. The experience also stands apart for its unique ability to foster in-person connections, with Pokemon GO live events attracting millions of attendees. After spending time with Niantic team, it quickly became clear that this organization shared our inclination to create industry-leading outcomes and exceptional player experiences. We look forward to a bright future ahead.”
What Does This Mean For The Future Of Pokemon GO?
As of right now, we do not know what is happening with Pokemon GO, as everything is still being transferred over as part of the deal being completed. This means that soon Niantic’s logo will be taken off of the areas where it is displayed on the game right now. With that being said, it is best believed that some things will most likely change with Pokemon GO, as now the game is with a completely different team and management. While this is scary for many die-hard Pokemon fans, it doesn’t mean the change will be a bad one. Hopefully soon enough we will see what direction the updates and other changes will be going in Pokemon Go as it will be owned by Scopely now.
Faith Lane is a Christian self-published author and journalist who has a passion for video games. Some of her favorite games consist of Pokemon, Disney Dreamlight Valley, Hello Kitty Island Adventure, Minecraft, and more.
