Niantic, the company behind the Randen Hit Pokémon Go, said on Wednesday that it has agreed to sell his videoogame industry for $ 3.5 billion in Scopely, a company owned by the Saudi -Sovereine Wealth Fund.
Pokémon Go, an augmented reality mobile game, became a cultural sensation when it was released in 2016. Dozens of millions of people around the world went to streets, parks, beaches and even to the center of the ocean to conquer monsters from the Japanese cartoon franchise.
The deal is the latest takeover of the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia in a push of millions of dollars in the video game industry. Pokémon is still going in millions of dollars and has legions dedicated fans.
Scopely, which is located in Culver City, California and who owns games, including the popular Monopoly Go, said on Wednesday in a separate explanation that it will absorb all staff of Niantic's gaming teams. Pokémon Go has more than 20 million active weekly players, Scopely said.
Scopely was taken over in 2023 for $ 4.9 billion by the Savvy Games Group, which was launched a year earlier by the Saudi Sovereine Wealth Fund to lead his push in video games, including e-sports. The Saudi government has said that by 2030 it will invest $ 38 billion in video games via the Public Investment Fund.
The fund manages almost a trillion dollar in assets and invests in a wide range of industries, of real estate and artificial intelligence to sport and entertainment, with a declared mission to diversify the economy of Sudoedi -Arabia beyond fossil fuels.
Some critics have described the investments of Saudi Aarabia in sports and video games as an attempt to brush the reputation of the country, especially about human rights.
