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Pokémon Go Maker Niantic Might Sell Games Division

Big news for Pokémon Go fans and the mobile gaming world

Niantic Explores Sale of Game Development Unit

Niantic, the company that brought us the augmented reality (AR) craze with Pokémon Go, is reportedly considering a major shift. According to a Bloomberg report citing anonymous sources, Niantic is looking to sell its game development business.

The potential buyer? Mobile game developer Scopely, owned by Saudi Arabia-based Savvy Games Group. While neither Niantic nor Scopely has commented, this move could signal a significant change in direction for the AR pioneer.

From Ingress to Pokémon Go and Beyond

Niantic has always been at the forefront of AR gaming. Their first title, Ingress, gained a dedicated following for its innovative use of real-world locations. But it was Pokémon Go in 2016 that truly launched Niantic into the stratosphere, becoming a global phenomenon.

Challenges and Changes

While subsequent titles have seen some success, they haven’t reached the same heights as Pokémon Go. The company has faced some restructuring in recent years:

Future Focus: Mapping the World

Despite these changes, Niantic continues to innovate in the AR space.

This technology could potentially connect scenes globally, indicating Niantic’s ambition to move beyond gaming and into broader AR applications.

Author: Ivan, covers global consumer tech developments at TechCrunch.

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