Rumor: - Selling Pokémon GO to Saudi owners
Niantic's gaming division allegedly going for $3.5 billion.
Pokémon GO developer Niantic Inc. is reportedly in talks to sell off its gaming division. According to sources familiar with the situation, the buyer is Saudi-owned Scopely Inc., which is allegedly paying $3.5 billion.
Bloomberg reported the potential deal Tuesday night. According to the site, Scopely is set to acquire both Pokémon GO and other mobile games, apparently including Ingress.
Neither Niantic, Scopely, nor Savvy Games Group - the Saudi fund leading the country's state-funded gaming initiative - have commented on the matter. However, if the parties reach an agreement, the deal could be announced in the coming weeks, it is claimed.
Niantic achieved worldwide success in 2016 with the launch of Pokémon GO. The game invited people to venture outdoors and catch Pokémon on their phones, a concept that remains incredibly popular to this day.
The developer has since attempted a similar game based on Harry Potter, but it never reached the same heights as Pokémon.
Scopely, for its part, has made its mark with Monopoly GO, a digital version of the classic board game. The American company was acquired by Savvy in 2023 for over $4.5 billion.
Saudi Arabia's securing of increasingly larger pieces of the gaming industry has been met with concern by many. The country is notorious for its relaxed attitude toward human rights, including strict rules about what women are allowed to do and a ban on homosexuality.
However, the country has deep pockets, and the shopping sprees in the gaming industry continue. Last year, Saudi Arabia secured the rights to host the official esports Olympics for the next 12 years.
