Niantic Labs, the US tech company behind the global phenomenon Pokémon Go, has agreed to sell its gaming division to Saudi Arabia-owned Scopely for $3.5 billion. The deal marks a major shift for Niantic, which will now focus on geospatial technology after struggling to replicate the success of its 2016 smash hit.  

Pokémon Go became a cultural sensation upon launch, blending augmented reality (AR) with real-world exploration. Players roam streets to catch virtual Pokémon like Pikachu, battling others and teaming up at landmarks. The mobile game became the fastest of its kind to earn $100 million and the most downloaded in its first month of release. Even last month, over 253,000 fans in Los Angeles attended a virtual event celebrating its near-decade legacy.

But Niantic faced turbulence after its initial success. Spin-offs like 'Harry Potter: Wizards Unite' flopped, leading to layoffs and game closures. Now, Scopely — a mobile gaming giant bought by Saudi Arabia's Savvy Games for $4.9 billion in 2023 — will take over Pokémon Go alongside titles like 'Pikmin Bloom' and 'Monster Hunter Now'. The original development team, led by Ed Wu, will stay on, with Wu calling the game his "life's work". 

According to its official website, Scopely also owns other games, such as Monopoly Go!, Stumble Guys, Yahtzee with Buddies, Star Trek Fleet Command, Marvel's Strike Force, WWE Champions, Scrabble Go, etc.

For Saudi Arabia, the purchase aligns with plans to invest $38 billion into gaming through Savvy, which also holds a stake in Nintendo. The kingdom aims to become a global gaming hub, hosting events like the Esports World Cup.

Niantic isn't exiting tech entirely. Founder John Hanke will lead a new venture, Niantic Spatial, focused on AR and geospatial AI, backed by $250 million in funding. The company will retain smaller AR games like 'Ingress Prime' and 'Peridot'.

Bangladesh has an active Pokémon Go community, with players regularly submitting landmarks called 'PokéStops' and 'Gyms' in various locations across Dhaka and other divisions since the game's launch in 2016. According to statistics from the Bangladeshi community, there are around 1,000 active players in the country, with 300–400 regulars in Dhaka alone. Local players also frequently attend community-hosted in-person events, with over 100 players participating in the Go Fest event at Ramna Park, Dhaka, in July 2024.