Scopely, the Saudi-owned mobile gaming giant behind Monopoly Go!, has struck a $3.5 billion deal to acquire Pokémon Go and several other games from Niantic, as the San Francisco-based developer pivots toward artificial intelligence.
Launched in 2016, Pokémon Go became a global phenomenon, pioneering augmented reality (AR) gaming by allowing players to catch digital Pokémon in real-world locations. Nearly a decade later, it remains one of the highest-grossing mobile games, with 30 million monthly players generating over $1 billion in revenue last year.
With this acquisition, Scopely—owned by Saudi Arabia’s Savvy Games Group—will significantly expand its audience to more than 500 million players, adding to the success of Monopoly Go!, which was the second-highest-grossing mobile game of 2024 with an estimated $2.2 billion in player spending.
“We are extremely inspired by what the [Niantic] team has built over the past decade, delivering innovative experiences that captivate a vast, enduring global audience and get people out in the real world,” said Tim O’Brien, Chief Revenue Officer at Scopely. “Few games in the world have delivered the scale and longevity of Pokémon Go, which reached over 100 million players just last year.”
Niantic’s AI Pivot and Saudi Arabia’s Gaming Ambitions
The sale marks a strategic shift for Niantic, which was spun out of Google in 2015 and valued at $9 billion in 2021. As part of the deal, Niantic is spinning off a new unit focused on “geospatial AI” to develop a next-generation digital map using data collected from its players.
Scopely will continue sharing some player data with Niantic Spatial as part of a $50 million investment in the new AI venture, which will also receive €200 million in funding from its former parent company.
The sale also aligns with Saudi Arabia’s aggressive push to become a global gaming powerhouse under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s national gaming and esports strategy. The kingdom’s Public Investment Fund has earmarked nearly $40 billion to develop a thriving gaming industry, with plans to establish 250 gaming companies and create 39,000 jobs by 2030.
Savvy Games Group has been central to these ambitions, acquiring stakes in major gaming companies, including Nintendo, Electronic Arts, Activision Blizzard, and Take-Two Interactive. Saudi Arabia has also become a major host of esports events, including last summer’s Esports World Cup in Riyadh, which featured a $60 million prize pool.
With the acquisition of Pokémon Go, Scopely is further solidifying its position as a dominant force in mobile gaming, while Saudi Arabia continues to expand its global footprint in the industry.
