It seems that Niantic, the creator behind Pokémon Go, might soon see its gaming division change hands. Rumor has it, as reported by Bloomberg, that Scopely, a company under Saudi ownership, is considering purchasing this division for a hefty $3.5 billion.
This potential sale would encompass Pokémon Go, the globally popular augmented-reality game that encourages players to venture outside and capture Pokémon in real-world settings.
An insider with knowledge of the situation shared with Bloomberg, under conditions of anonymity, that the discussions are still ongoing. However, if everything goes as planned, an agreement could be finalized in just a few weeks.
At present, there have been no official statements from Niantic, Scopely, or Savvy Games Group, the latter being Scopely’s parent company, regarding this reported transaction.
Savvy Games Group, already a major player in the gaming industry landscape, had acquired Scopely in April 2023 for an impressive $4.9 billion. This acquisition aligned with Saudi Arabia’s intentions to invest in a leading games publisher. Scopely boasts an impressive lineup of successful mobile titles, including The Walking Dead: Road to Survival, Stumble Guys, Marvel Strike Force, and Monopoly Go.
This push into the gaming sector is part of a broader strategy by Savvy Gaming Group, which has also invested significantly in the esports arena. Back in 2022, they purchased two of the largest esports entities, ESL and FACEIT, for $1.5 billion.
Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince, Mohammed bin Salman, had outlined an ambitious vision in which these investments play a crucial role. “Savvy Games Group is integral to our grand plan of establishing Saudi Arabia as a global epicenter for the gaming and esports domain by 2030,” he remarked. The prince emphasized how the nation aims to leverage the untapped potential within this industry to diversify its economy, spur innovation, and expand the Kingdom’s entertainment and esports offerings.
This development will certainly be one to watch, as it could significantly alter the landscape of mobile gaming and esports on a global scale.
