Pokémon GO gets a new owner: Scopely takes over the games division of Niantic. Some trainers are concerned about this. What does the acquisition mean for the game? And what do Scopely and Niantic say about it? MeinMMO gives you an overview.
What is happening with Pokémon GO? The developer and publisher Scopely has purchased the games division of Niantic for 3.5 billion US dollars. The deal includes:
- Pokémon GO
- The Pikmin mobile game Pikmin Bloom
- The game Monster Hunter Now
- The teams behind these games
- As well as the apps Wayfarer and Campfire
The change in ownership represents an important point in the development of Pokémon GO, which is celebrating its ninth birthday this year. However, although Scopely and Niantic assure that for now everything will remain the same, fans are wondering: What does this mean for the game? Some trainers are sharing their concerns online.
Trainers fear significant changes in Pokémon GO
Even when the deal was first being forged a few weeks ago, there were critical voices regarding the sale of Pokémon GO. Even now, much discussion in the Pokémon GO community revolves around the deal, such as in threads in the Subreddit TheSilphRoad or the Subreddit for Pokémon GO.
The voices there can be summarized as follows: Some trainers fear that the business model of Pokémon GO could shift more towards microtransactions. Additionally, some are concerned that advertising will become significantly more prominent in Pokémon GO – or that you will have to pay to get rid of it.
Some players cite examples like Monopoly GO, which is probably the most well-known game from Scopely. The title is extremely successful, but it faces criticism due to its pronounced monetization.
Another point concerns the data collected by Pokémon GO, which is based on the movement of players. There is also uncertainty about what will happen to this data now.
On the other hand, there are also a few voices that are at least curious about what the game might do differently. They point out that microtransactions in Pokémon GO have already increased recently.
One thing is clear: It is still uncertain how exactly Pokémon GO will progress. However, both Scopely and Niantic have at least issued general statements about the future development of the game.
What do Scopely and Niantic say about the future development of Pokémon GO?
What does Niantic say? Ed Wu, the head of Pokémon GO at Niantic, addressed the community in a statement regarding the deal. In it, Wu explains that they had good conversations with Scopely and have the impression that Scopely will embrace the vision that Niantic has for the game.
Wu emphasizes that the team behind Pokémon GO will remain and continue working on the game. He states: “Scopely empowers their game teams as autonomous groups to pursue the roadmaps that inspire them and that each team believes is best for the player experience. This approach is extremely attractive to us at Niantic Games. I have spoken with a number of game leaders at Scopely who have given me great confidence in the way the company allows each game to develop independently and express creativity” (via pokemongolive.com).
Additionally, Ed Wu explains that The Pokémon Company will continue to act as a partner, just as it has in recent years. The Pokémon Company is generally known for being very detail-oriented regarding the handling of Pokémon, their representation, and corresponding games.
Wu also emphasizes at the end: “I won’t say that Pokémon GO will remain the same, as it has always been a work in progress. However, the way we create and develop it will remain unchanged, and I hope that we can make the experience even better for all of you.”
What does Scopely say? Scopely’s statement strikes a similar chord. It emphasizes that they have long admired the Niantic games and their way of building communities. They want to support that.
According to the statement, Scopely sees its role as supporting Niantic by “providing the space, resources, and freedom to further develop and enhance what makes these games meaningful to you,” the statement reads (via scopely.com).
Furthermore, Scopely assures: “We know that changes can lead to uncertainties. But in this case, it is most important to know that the games you enjoy so much will remain the experiences you know and love. Our foremost commitment will always be to you – the community – and the talented game makers will be supported to make these game universes as good as possible.”
What does this mean for Pokémon GO? The statements from Scopely and Niantic both suggest that “nothing will change for you, everything will be better.” That the teams currently are remaining speaks at least to a similar continuation. At the same time, Scopely has invested 3.5 billion dollars, which should certainly pay off in the long run.
One thing is clear: For now, we can only wait to see how the game develops concretely. Specific concerns of players have not been addressed in the initial statements. MeinMMO has made a corresponding inquiry to Scopely. We will update this article as soon as more information is available. In the immediate term, Pokémon GO will continue with the current season and upcoming events. What is happening in the game is shown in the overview of events in March 2025.
