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Pocket Gamer Reacts: Breaking down Scopely's blockbuster $3.5bn deal for Niantic's games business
The PocketGamer.biz's hot takes on this big news
Acquisition Accomplished
Scopely acquires Pokémon Go developer Niantic's games business in $3.5bn deal
Blockbuster deal brings the multi-billion-dollar hit mobile game under the Savvy Games Group umbrella
Deal Tracker
Show Me The Money: Jam City agrees Ludia sale, Scopely's rumoured $3.5bn Niantic deal, and MTG acquires Plarium in February 2025
Our deal tracker highlights the key acquisitions, investments, and partnerships from the last month
Ar Attraction
How Pokémon Go developer Niantic's games stack up ahead of a potential Scopely acquisition
Rumours around Scopely’s potential AR acquisitions gets us diving into the numbers behind Niantic’s whole catalogue
Podcast | Episode 45
Tripledot’s surprise acquisition of AppLovin's games business | Week in Mobile Games podcast
The PocketGamer.biz podcast team give you the state of play every week. Here's where to get it and and what's inside this week's episode 45...
M&a
It was Tripledot?! What the UK studio's acquisition of AppLovin's games business means
The mystery buyer was revealed this week
M&a
Report: Tripledot to buy AppLovin’s games business
PocketGamer.biz has also heard the buyer is a London-based company
A New World
Ludia plots M&A and hiring spree after Jam City exit
CEO Jimmy Gendron discusses the Montreal company's ambitions to build "the next leading independent publisher in Canada"
New Mode
Secret Mode breaks away from Sumo with buyout
Current leadership to remain at the helm
Fresh Details
AppLovin selling games business to private company for $500m in cash and $400m in shares
Buyer has entered into a term sheet with AppLovin and aims to borrow up to $250m to fund the deal
M&a
Jam City completes Ludia sale
Approximately 130 staff will remain at the developer, while a small number will stay with Jam City
Playtika's M&a Plans
Playtika allocates up to $450m for “bolt-on” M&A activity over next three years
Publisher reports direct-to-consumer and overall revenue growth in Q4
Hot Five
Hot Five: Jam City to sell Ludia, Scopely could acquire Pokémon Go, and Last War hits $2bn
Our quick-fix roundup of the hottest stories on PocketGamer.biz
Podcast | Episode 43
NetEase scales back, Jam City agrees Ludia sale, and why Savvy wants Pokémon Go | Week in Mobile Games podcast
The PocketGamer.biz podcast team give you the state of play every week. Here's where to get it and and what's inside this week's episode 43...
Big Deal
Niantic reportedly in talks to sell Pokémon Go and games business to Scopely for $3.5bn
The deal isn’t finalised, according to people familiar with the matter, but could be officially announced "in coming weeks"
M&a
MTG completes $620m acquisition of Raid: Shadow Legends developer Plarium
Deal could see a further $200m in earnouts
Delivering Deals
Report: Games industry M&As valued at $10.5 billion in 2024 with 21% volume increase
Drake Star’s Global Gaming Report 2024 highlighted the biggest investors of the year from venture capitalists to games studios
Investment News
Aonic invests $10m in Mega Fortuna as part of $70m acquisition plan
Mega Fortuna is best known for its flagship platform Richie Games
Hot Five
Hot Five: 2024’s top earners, the most downloaded mobile games, and Scopely’s Chengfeng Studio acquisition
Our quick-fix roundup of the hottest stories on PocketGamer.biz
M&a
DoubleU acquires Turkish studio Paxie Games for up to $67m
Social Casino firm picks up 60% stake for $27m
M&a
Scopely acquires Perfect World's Chengfeng Studio in $34.5m deal
Monopoly Go developer expands into China
M&a
Nazara subsidiary Nodwin acquires 93% stake in AFK gaming for $900,000
The acquisition makes AFK Gaming a fully-owned subsidiary of Nodwin Gaming
Hot Five
Hot Five: Animal Crossing’s comeback, Balatro’s big milestone, and Infinity Nikki’s record launch
Our quick-fix roundup of the hottest stories on PocketGamer.biz
Week That Was
Zynga sells Chartboost, Epic partners with Telefónica and Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp Complete hits $3M | Week in Views
The Pocketgamer.biz team pick their highlights from the headlines this week and deliver the stories behind the stories
Sale Boost
Zynga sells Chartboost to LoopMe
Publisher had previously bought mobile ads and monetisation platform in a $250 million deal in 2021
Acqusitions
Build A Rocket Boy acquires UK developer PlayFusion
PlayFusion CEO and CTO Mark Gerhard will join company as co-CEO
Dream Deal
Playtika completes acquisition of Dice Dreams developer SuperPlay
The deal could be worth up to $1.95 billion, depending on SuperPlay’s performance in the next three years
Podcast | Episode 36
Games industry M&A hits overdrive with Plarium and Easybrain deals | Week in Mobile Games podcast
The PocketGamer.biz podcast team give you the state of play every week. Here's where to get it and and what's inside this week's episode 36...
No-brainer?
Miniclip purchases Easybrain from Embracer for $1.2bn
Casual games developer moves on after it was purchased for $640 million back in 2021
Mobile M&a
Microsoft eyes potential mobile studio acquisition
"We’re not going to grow the market with $1,000 consoles"
Ready To Raid
Modern Times Group acquires Raid: Shadow Legends maker Plarium for $620m
Plarium generated $613m in revenue during the 12 months ending September 30th, 2024
Sale Sorted
Take-Two sells Private Division and almost all its games
Take-Two will continue to support cross-platform RPG No Rest for the Wicked
Super Space Ape
Supercell establishes London studio with 100% acquisition of Space Ape
Clash of Clans developer aims to tap UK talent with full purchase Beatstar maker
Strategic Growth
Redwood acquires majority stake in Indian games streaming start-up Loco for $65m
The deal will see Loco expand to global markets
Hot Five
Hot Five: Pokémon’s Palworld lawsuit, Playtika’s acquisition, and Ubisoft gets workers back to the office
Our quick-fix roundup of the hottest stories on PocketGamer.biz
Podcast | Episode 29
Playtika acquires SuperPlay, and the secret multi-billion dollar games platform WeChat Minigames | Week in Mobile Games podcast
The PocketGamer.biz podcast team give you the state of play every week. Here's where to get it and and what's inside this week's episode 29...
Week That Was
Playtika’s big acquisition of SuperPlay, EA’s all in on AI and Flappy Bird is back | Week in Views
The Pocketgamer.biz team pick their highlights from the headlines this week and deliver the stories behind the stories
Super Acquisition
Playtika to acquire Dice Dreams developer SuperPlay for up to $1.95 billion
Deal will see publisher pay $700 million up-front and a further potential $1.25 billion based on successfully hitting financial targets
Investment News
Nazara invests $117 million PokerBaazi parent Moonshine
India games firm picks up 47.7% stake in the company
Portfolio Power Up
52 Entertainment welcomes "millions of new players" through Blackout acquisition
The casual games dev behind Word Search Quest and Bubble Shooter Rainbow joins 52 Entertainment’s portfolio
M&a
Pole to Win snaps up co-development studio Ghostpunch Games for $13 million
Florida-based company has worked across platforms with partners such as EA, Gearbox Software, Bethesda Game Studios and 2K
Aquisitions
Amber snaps up co-development studio Madbricks
Deal sees developer’s 40 staff join Amber’s global workforce of more than 850 employees
Ai Acquisition
GiantX acquires League of Legends AI coaching app maker iTero Gaming
The app, launched in late 2022, has been downloaded almost 250,000 times
Tech Takeover
Choices: Stories You Play dev Pixelberry Games acquired by AI-based Series Entertainment
The company's acquisition will see "cutting-edge technology" brought to the Choices: Stories You Play series
Billions Buyout
Keywords Studios sells for £2.1 billion in £24.50-per-share EQT buyout
The deal concludes the company's recent $145.8 million M&A strategy and it will now be acquired itself
Strategic Growth
Nazara eyes full acquisition of Kiddopia in $36m deal
The purchase could be finalised later this month
Acquisition Alliance
Nodwin Gaming to build an esports "alliance" through 100% acquisition of Freaks 4U Gaming
Nodwin currently holds a 13.51% stake and will increase this in tranches to 57%, then 100%
Hot Five
Hot Five: Garena Free Fire snipes $4BN, Pokémon dev Game Freak’s first mobile exclusive, and Supercell’s next project imminent
Our quick-fix roundup of the hottest stories on PocketGamer.biz
Acquisition Ahead
CyberAgent to acquire NitroPlus in $104 million deal
Digital advertising firm and games publisher will support new subsidiary's efforts for global IP expansion
M&a
OV Entertainment Group acquires co-development studio Kokku and tech firm 3OGS
Kokku chief exec and founder Thiago de Freitas named CEO of OV Entertainment Group following the deals