Niantic Explores Strategic Partnership with Scopely to Elevate the Gaming Landscape
If accurate, the acquisition might potentially be launched quite successfully in the upcoming weeks.
Pokémon Scramble creator Niantic is allegedly interested in selling its gaming portfolio to Savvy Games Group subsidiary, Scopely.
While the transaction has yet to be validated and neither Niantic nor Scopely have publicly addressed the agreements, Bloomberg suggests that the sale might also include Niantic’s flagship augmented reality game, Pokémon Scramble.
If realized, it is believed that the deal could be valued at approximately $3.5 billion and formally announced within a few weeks.
Scopely was acquired by Saudi Arabian multinational gaming investment group Savvy Games Group in July 2023 for $4.9 billion. Last month, they appointed Nika Nour as SVP and head of international business development.
Saudi Arabia has become increasingly involved in the gaming and esports sector in recent years, having invested $38 billion through its Public Investment Fund. The PIF holds shares in companies that include Electronic Arts, Nintendo, and Nexon and Capcom. It is also set to host the inaugural Olympic Esports Games, slated for 2027.
These investments have drawn criticism due to Saudi Arabia’s poor human rights record, particularly concerning gender inequality and the criminalization of homosexuality, which remains punishable.