Niantic in Talks to Sell to Saudi-Owned Firm Behind Stumble Guys

Niantic, the developer behind the wildly popular augmented-reality game Pokémon Go, is reportedly in discussions to sell its video game division to Scopely, a company owned by Saudi Arabia's Savvy Games Group, for a staggering $3.5 billion. According to Bloomberg, this potential acquisition would encompass Pokémon Go, which has revolutionized mobile gaming by encouraging players to explore the real world in search of virtual creatures.

While the deal is not yet finalized, a source who spoke to Bloomberg on condition of anonymity indicated that an agreement could be announced within weeks if all parties give their approval. Niantic, Scopely, and Savvy Games Group have all refrained from making public comments on the matter.

Scopely was acquired by Savvy Games Group in April 2023 for $4.9 billion, following the Saudi Arabian government's declaration of intent to purchase a leading games publisher. Scopely is well-known for its successful mobile titles, including The Walking Dead: Road to Survival, Stumble Guys, Marvel Strike Force, and Monopoly Go.

In addition to Scopely, Savvy Games Group also made headlines in 2022 by purchasing two major esports companies, ESL and FACEIT, for a combined total of $1.5 billion.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz has articulated a bold vision for the Kingdom, stating, “Savvy Games Group is one part of our ambitious strategy aiming to make Saudi Arabia the ultimate global hub for the games and esports sector by 2030. We are harnessing the untapped potential across the esports and games sector to diversify our economy, drive innovation in the sector, and further scale the entertainment and esports competition offerings across the Kingdom.”