When it launched in 2016, Pokémon Go completely changed the way people played games. It was the first time a mobile game not only hooked people to screens but also brought them outside—into the streets, parks, and even historical sites—in search of Pokémon.
Earlier this month, nine years later, the game made headlines again. According to reports, the game’s developer, Niantic, is selling its gaming division to Scopely for $3.5 billion. Scopely, originally an American company, was acquired in 2023 by a corporation owned by PIF—the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia. In other words, the Saudi government is effectively acquiring Pokémon Go.
This is one of the largest acquisitions ever made in the gaming industry. The…