The smartphone game 'Pokémon Go' became a hit immediately after its launch in 2016, and while the hype subsided fast, the app remained beloved by a core of fans. The developer is now reported to be parting ways with the game. — Photo: Britta Pedersen/dpa
SAN JOSE: The popular smartphone game Pokémon Go may soon be sold off to a major Saudi-owned games company as part of a multi-billion dollar deal, according to a media report.
Niantic is in negotiations over the sale of its gaming business for around US$3.5bil (RM15.5bil), financial news wire Bloomberg reported on Wednesday, citing sources close to the negotiations.
The prospective buyer is said to be Scopely, a mobile games production company backed by the Saudi Arabian sovereign wealth fund and behind titles like Star Trek Fleet Command, Scrabble Go and The Walking Dead: Road to Survival.
Pokémon Go became an instant worldwide hit when it was launched in the summer of 2016, and while the hype subsided somewhat in the years that followed, the game remained popular among a loyal fanbase.
The game was of the first major apps to make use of what is called Augmented Reality, whereby the user sees digital content mapped on top of a live feed of the real world seen through their smartphone's camera lens.
The game allows you to catch characters from the Pokémon games on your smartphone screen in real-life surroundings. Niantic has since struggled to repeat the success of the original Pokémon Go game with other titles.
Niantic also develops technology for displaying three-dimensional environments, technology that could come into play for future Scopely games.
Bloomberg reported that a deal to sell the gaming business could be announced in the coming weeks. Niantic did not respond for comment on the report. – dpa
