Niantic, the developer behind the wildly popular augmented reality game Pokémon Go, is reportedly in discussions to sell its video game division to Scopely, a company owned by Saudi Arabia's Savvy Games Group, for a staggering $3.5 billion. As highlighted by Bloomberg, this potential acquisition would encompass Pokémon Go, a game that has revolutionized mobile gaming by encouraging players to explore the real world in search of virtual creatures.
According to an anonymous source speaking to Bloomberg, the deal is not finalized yet, but if all goes smoothly, an announcement could be made within weeks. Neither Niantic, Scopely, nor Savvy Games Group have issued public statements regarding the rumored acquisition.
Scopely, which was acquired by Savvy Games Group in April 2023 for $4.9 billion, is known for its portfolio of successful mobile games, including The Walking Dead: Road to Survival, Stumble Guys, Marvel Strike Force, and Monopoly Go. This acquisition followed the Saudi Arabian government's announcement of its intent to purchase "a leading games publisher."
Savvy Games Group has been aggressively expanding its influence in the gaming industry. In 2022, the group acquired two of the world's largest esports organizations, ESL and FACEIT, for a combined $1.5 billion. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz articulated the broader vision behind these investments, stating, “Savvy Games Group is one part of our ambitious strategy aiming to make Saudi Arabia the ultimate global hub for the games and esports sector by 2030.”
The Crown Prince emphasized the strategic importance of these moves, noting, “We are harnessing the untapped potential across the esports and games sector to diversify our economy, drive innovation in the sector, and further scale the entertainment and esports competition offerings across the Kingdom.”
