“Gotta catch ’em all” applies to more than Pokémon.
On Wednesday, Saudi-led mobile game maker Scopely will pay $3.5 billion for American mobile game studio Niantic and its augmented reality assets. Niantic will hand over its revolutionary interactive Pokémon GO, as well as its similarly immersive Pikmin Bloom and Monster Hunter Now games. Additionally, Scopely will take over Niantic’s companion apps, Wayfarer and Campfire. Pokémon GO will join the ranks of Scopely’s other wildly successful mobile games, including Monopoly Go!, Scrabble Go, Yahtzee With Buddies, and WWE Champions.
Fans may wistfully recall Pokémon GO’s chokehold on the mid-2010’s cultural zeitgeist. Despite keeping users glued to their phones, the game’s social elements and movement-based gameplay lured would-be Pokémon trainers outdoors in large numbers. Though it’s been nearly a decade since its heyday, Niantic reports 30 million active users per month. The company generated a staggering $1 billion last year, according to Scopely’s news release. Niantic’s statement detailing the acquisition shares Pokémon GO users collectively covered more than 30 billion miles while playing.
Ed Wu of Niantic issued a release via the official Pokémon GO website, detailing its future as well as deal details: “Pokémon GO will be joining Scopely, a video-game developer and publisher home to a wide range of leading games and talented teams around the world. As it’s always important to me, and our entire game team, that our community understands and is excited by the long-term vision for this game, I want to share why I believe a partnership with Scopely will be a positive step for all of you and the game’s future … With Scopely’s full commitment, experience and resources, we’re going to make Pokémon GO the very best it can be – with incredible battles for thousands of Trainers at a time at our live events and new ways to connect to your friends and community, all while remaining focused on the excitement and experience of discovering Pokémon in the real world. We have invested to empower thousands of Community Leaders and Ambassadors who lead millions of Trainers to play together in the real world, and Scopely is in full agreement that this highly-admired program will be a priority to invest in together.”
Wu will remain a part of the Pokémon GO team, but he doesn’t mince words about the future. “I won’t say that Pokémon GO will remain the same, because it has always been a work in progress. But how we create and evolve it will remain unchanged, and I hope that we can make the experience even better for all of you.”
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A lifelong gamer raised on classic titles like Crash Bandicoot, Spyro, and Croc, Stephanie brings her expertise of gaming and pop culture to deliver unique, refreshing views on the world of video games, complete with references to absurd and obscure media.
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