Niantic is reportedly negotiating the sale of its entire gaming division—including its flagship title,Pokémon GO—toMonopoly GOpublisher Scopely.
The potential deal was first reported byBloombergon Feb. 18, describing it as a transaction that “could be announced in the coming weeks.” This likely stems from Niantic’s failed attempts to expand beyond Pokémon GO, including its June 2023layoffs of 230 employeesand the cancellation of a Marvel game.
According toStatista,Pokémon GOhas struggled to maintain its pre-pandemic revenue levels, generating an estimated $544 million in 2024—its worst revenue year since 2017 and a 6.8% decline from 2023.
Scopely, best known forMonopoly GO, has amassed several billion dollars in revenue since its 2023 release. However, not all of its ventures have succeeded—the companycanceled an unannounced titlein Sept. 2024, and itsMarvel Strike Forceplayerbase has repeatedlycriticized lack of supportand aggressive monetization.
Nothing is ever entirely good or bad. Based on months of experience playing bothPokémon GOandMonopoly GO, here’s what I believe could happen in the best- and worst-case scenarios if the sale goes through.
Best Case:Pokémon GOstays the same or gets more frequent free fewards
For players already happy withPokémon GO, nothing changes. But for those who feel the game could improve, Scopely could enhance free rewards by adding more Raid Passes—maybe even remote ones, who knows?—, Incubators, or PokéCoins as part of research tasks and collection events.
Scopely could also introduce extra, shorter events between global events, allowing players to earn free items at any time. This is what happens withMonopoly GO, where there’s always an active event offering rewards—a system that could makePokémon GOfeel more rewarding, but also a bit more like a chore.
Worst Case: Pokémon GO gets aggressive ads, pop-ups, and FOMO-driven monetization
Pokémon GOcould become cluttered with ads and sale pop-ups, appearing when opening the game, after catching a Pokémon, or after gym battles, just like what happens inMonopoly GO.
Scopely is known for heavily pushing limited-time sales, using FOMO tactics to encourage spending. Instead of focusing on large, one-time purchases, Scopely leans into frequent, small-value microtransactions, creating a constant pressure to spend on small advantages rather than long-term value.
While the deal could be happening soon, there’s no confirmation it’s close to being completed. Niantic declined to comment on the matter with Destructoid.
