Last week, Niantic revealed that it would be selling its game division, responsible for augmented reality games like Pokémon Go, Monster Hunter Now, and Pikmin Bloom, to mobile gaming leader Scopely for $3.5 billion. This anticipated move, which had been speculated for almost a month, left dedicated Pokémon Go players—who are known for being vocal—worried about how the game would fare under the stewardship of Scopely, the creators of Monopoly Go!.
As a long-time player of Pokémon Go, I too felt uneasy about the implications of new ownership regarding monetization and user data sharing. Last Friday, I interviewed Michael Steranka, senior product director for Pokémon Go, who has been with the game for eight years, to gain insights on the acquisition and address pressing player concerns.
You can find our edited conversation below for clarity.
Polygon: What does this Scopely deal mean for players of Pokémon Go?
Michael Steranka: I have been reading various player theories and speculation online. I want to convey that this acquisition is actually a positive development. It’s going to benefit the game and its community. I’m happy to chat about this and hopefully clear up some of the concerns circulating among players.
Why do you believe it will be beneficial?
Fortunately, I got the chance to engage with the Scopely team for several months prior to the signing of the deal. Through these interactions, it became clear that they share our core values at Niantic, particularly in their dedication to the gaming communities they’ve cultivated. Scopely empowers its teams to make autonomous decisions, avoiding top-down directives, which supports the best interests of individual games while ensuring they have the resources for success. This reassurance indicates that we will continue to operate Pokémon Go as we always have, maintaining our practices and vision for the game.
Did Scopely express a different perspective on Pokémon Go compared to its other titles?
Absolutely. They have evaluated our data and recognized how Pokémon Go has been developed differently from other titles in the market. They are not only interested in the stability of Pokémon Go as a business, but they are also eager to learn from our methods and apply those insights to their other games and future projects.
Concerns have been raised about intrusive ads disrupting gameplay. Will this be a reality in Pokémon Go?
To clarify, no, there will be no intrusive ads in Pokémon Go—now or in the future. Scopely understands the uniqueness of our game and acknowledges that altering the essential elements that contribute to its success would be unwise. We won’t be including any disruptive advertising or mechanics that would feel wrong for our players.
