Pokémon Go’s parent company, Niantic, has agreed to sell its video game business to Scopely, a company owned by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, in a deal worth $3.5 billion. The mobile game, released in 2016, became a cultural phenomenon with millions of players worldwide.
The acquisition is part of the Public Investment Fund’s multibillion-dollar push into the video game industry. Scopely will absorb Niantic’s gaming teams and take over the popular Pokémon Go, which still generates significant revenue and boasts over 20 million active weekly players.
This deal follows a similar acquisition by the Savvy Games Group last year, also backed by the Public Investment Fund, with Saudi Arabia aiming to invest $38 billion in video games by 2030. The move is seen as part of the country’s efforts to diversify its economy beyond fossil fuels and enhance its global reputation.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/13/world/middleeast/pokemon-go-niantic-scopely-sale.html