Scopely, known for making Monopoly Go, will also be acquiring other Niantic-run services and companion apps like Campfire and Wayfarer.

Pokémon Go has by far been Niantic’s biggest game; as of 2024, it boasted more than 100 million unique players and maintained a player base of more than 20 million monthly active users. The company reported more than $1 billion in revenue in 2024.

According to the announcement, the studios acquired will continue to run their games and follow their planned content roadmaps. Studio leads Kei Kawai, and Ed Wu will also work on the titles under Scopely.

“Scopely has always been focused on cultivating meaningful communities through a shared love of play, and the Niantic games organization is one of the best in the world at this endeavour,” said Scopely’s chief revenue officer and board member Tim O’Brien in a statement. “We are extremely inspired by what the team has built over the last decade, delivering innovative experiences that captivate a vast, enduring global audience and get people out in the real world.”

“We look forward to further accelerating the team’s creativity through our partnership. Few games in the world have delivered the scale and longevity of ‘Pokémon Go’, which reached over 100 million players just last year.”

O’Brien also spoke about how Scopely will continue to run things as they have been going for popular titles like Pokémon Go, mentioning its live events.

“The experience also stands apart for its unique ability to foster in-person connections, with Pokémon Go live events attracting millions of attendees,” he said. “After spending time with the Niantic team, it quickly became clear that this organization shares our inclination to create industry-leading outcomes and exceptional player experiences. We look forward to a bright future ahead.”

After completing the acquisition, Niantic plans to spin off its technology-based holdings into an entirely new company, Niantic Spatial Inc. This entity will have Niantic founder and CEO John Hanke at its helm and will focus its efforts on being what it refers to as a “geospatial AI company”.

While Scopely will acquire the licensed games business, Niantic will continue to work on its own AR games, namely Ingress Prime and Peridot.

Capping off the announcement has been Scopely’s statement to players of Pokémon Go, Pikmin Bloom and Monster Hunter Now. In this statement, the company talks about respecting the games and wanting to allow its developers the freedom to continue developing them.

“We have long admired the innovative gameplay pioneered by the Niantic games team and the vibrant communities that have shaped the titles into the beloved experiences they are today. We deeply respect what makes these games special – the freedom to explore, the community forged along the way, and the thrill of discovery,” Scopely said.

“We believe our partnership with the Niantic games team – who will all join Scopely through this acquisition – will further enable them to achieve their exciting long-term goals, which are designed first and foremost with you in mind.”

These include upcoming releases like Monster Hunter Wilds and Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics. Available games like Monster Hunter Now, Street Fighter 6, and Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess, alongside titles launching before TGS 2024, like Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster and Ace Attorney Investigations Collection, will also be playable.

Of course, the content of these demos will be announced later, so stay tuned for updates. Tokyo Game Show starts on September 26th and ends on September 29th. Other attending companies include Sony and Kojima Productions, the latter hosting a special stage event for Death Stranding 2: On The Beach. Head here for more details.

More specifically, Capcom has announced (via Gematsu) that at Gamescom, from August 21 to August 25, Monster Hunter Wilds will be making its first public appearance, with the action RPG set to be at over 60 playable demo stations for people to go hands on with, with series producer Ryozo Tsujimoto, executive director and art director Kaname Fujioka, and director Yuya Tokuda also set to be present.

As previously announced, Monster Hunter Wilds is also set to receive a new showing at Gamescom Opening Night Live on August 20. Meanwhile, Capcom is also set to bring the upcoming Ace Attorney Investigations Collection to its booth, offering players the chance to go hands-on with it ahead of its September release.

In addition to the two aforementioned upcoming titles, Capcom is also bringing a number of previously released titles to Gamescom. Specifically, that will entail Street Fighter 6 (with players being able to go hands-on with upcoming guest DLC character Terry Bogard), Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess, and Monster Hunter Now.

In the lead up to its Gamescom blowout, Capcom has also been showcasing new gameplay trailers for Monster Hunter Wilds, highlight different weapons such as the Heavy Bowgun, the Great Sword, the Insect Glaive, and more.

Monster Hunter Wilds is due out in 2025 for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.

The event’s first day is set for March 7. Kicking off at 3 PM PST, it will offer new looks at Dragon’s Dogma 2, which is due out later this month, and Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess. Interestingly, the latter will also be shown off the day prior at Microsoft’s Xbox Partner Preview, so it should be interesting to see what will be showcased at Capcom Highlights. Meanwhile, where Dragon’s Dogma 2 is concerned, rumours have indicated that the action RPG is set to receive a demo soon, so perhaps this is where that will be announced.

Meanwhile, day 2 of Capcom Highlights is set for March 11, at 3 PM PDT, with Capcom set to reveal new details on upcoming titles like its Monster Hunter Stories remaster and the mobile title Monster Hunter Now, as well as previously-released games like Exoprimal and Street Fighter 6. Where the latter is concerned, it’s likely we’ll be learning about the game’s fourth and final Year 1 DLC character, Akuma.

On the official Capcom Highlights page, the company says the event’s runtime will be roughly 15-20 minutes each day, so we can probably expect meaty showings for each title.

https://twitter.com/capcomusa_/status/1764819148759044458

Dragon’s Dogma 2 is perhaps the most significant as director Hideaki Itsuno will showcase some new gameplay and details. Considering its lackluster showing at the Capcom Showcase in June here’s hoping for an extended look at the open-world action RPG and its mechanics.

Street Fighter 6 fans can look forward to more details on A.K.I., the fighting game’s second DLC character releasing on September 27th. Exoprimal’s Title Update 2 will be detailed ahead of its release in October, and Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Trilogy will receive an update. All these titles, along with Resident Evil 4 Remake VR Mode and Monster Hunter Now, are playable for attendees.

Even more interesting is there will be a 50-minute pre-recorded Capcom Online Special Program with the latest news on September 21st, 11 PM JST. Perhaps a release date for Resident Evil 4 Remake’s VR Mode will be revealed. There may also be details on A.K.I., the next DLC character for Street Fighter 6, and Exoprimal’s next big Title Update. Dare we hope for an update on Separate Ways, rumored to be paid DLC for Resident Evil 4 Remake?

Time will tell. Tokyo Game Show 2023 takes place in Makuhari Messe in Chiba, Japan, from September 21st to 24th. Other companies confirmed for the show include Konami, Sega, Atlus, Square Enix, Bandai Namco, Koei Tecmo, and Microsoft. Stay tuned for more details in the coming weeks.

Like Pokemon GO, Monster Hunter Now is about encountering monsters in the real world, thanks to augmented reality. As series producer Ryozo Tsujimoto explains, “Monster Hunter Now is a new and unprecedented Monster Hunter game that entices players to go out with their Palico and encounter incredible monsters in the real world.

“Niantic’s AR technology delivers a ‘here and right now’ hunting experience, something that can be played casually, while honoring the game play and hunting action that only Monster Hunter can offer. Let’s get out into the real world and enjoy hunting!”

John Hanke, founder and CEO of Niantic, added, “Monster Hunter Now will be the ultimate experience for anyone who has dreamed of facing off against epic monsters and battling them with friends. Filled with fantastical creatures, engrossing hunting and opportunities for teamwork, with the best possible graphics on mobile devices, Monster Hunter Now is the perfect franchise to bring into the real world.”

You can play solo or team up with others, inviting friends to play and take down monsters. One interesting mechanic is the Paintball. Tag a monster, and you can take it home to hunt. Companions can also mark monsters with Paintballs as you pass by, even if you’re not playing, so you don’t need to check your screen.

Stay tuned for more details on Monster Hunter Now in the coming months. In the meantime, Capcom will unveil the next free Title Update for Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak on April 19th. The expansion also launches on April 28th for Xbox and PlayStation.