Pokémon GO Reassures Players The Game Won’t Experience ‘Major Changes’ After Scopely Acquisition
This article covers a developing story. Continue to check back with us as we will be adding more information as it becomes available.
Scopely’s surprise acquisition of Pokémon GO developer Niantic left many players nervous about the game’s future, but the studio wants fans to know that it’s not making any significant adjustments to the experience. Acquisitions have become all too common in the video game industry as publishers look to scoop up successful developers with the goal of tapping a potentially lucrative revenue stream. With Niantic’s Pokémon GO still dominating the mobile scene just under a decade since its launch, it stands to reason that Scopely would want a cut.
Per Eurogamer, during an all-hands meeting between the two companies, Niantic promised employees that Pokémon GO “will not undergo any major changes under the influence of Scopely.” The studio clarified that Scopely will facilitate the game’s continued development, noting that it will continue to build upon the highly successful mobile game. Niantic further confirmed that Scopely will not be “shutting down” Pokémon GO, but there was no word on whether the shift will impact the game’s monetization model.
Pokémon GO Fans Are Concerned About Scopely
The Company Has A Reputation For Aggressive Monetization
When news broke that Scopely was finalizing a deal to acquire Niantic for $3.5 billion, players were instantly apprehensive about what the deal could mean for Pokémon GO. Many have cited concerns regarding Scopely’s portfolio of mobile games, which includes massive hits like Monopoly Go! and Marvel Strike Force, noting that the company tends to employ aggressive monetization and microtransactions. Pokémon GO already features plenty of ways of spending money, but compared to Scopely’s products, it’s far more generous with what it dishes out to players for free.
Pokémon GO will undoubtedly be pleased to hear that Niantic will continue development seemingly unhindered, but only time will tell whether that strategy remains unchanged. Fans have looked to the gradual changes made to Marvel Strike Force after Scopely acquired the game, noting that it slowly changed, over a period of a couple of years, from free-to-play friendly to an experience that demanded additional payments to stay competitive. With Pokémon GO as relevant today as it was in 2016, fans hope Niantic and Scopely stay true to their word.
Source: Eurogamer
This article covers a developing story. Continue to check back with us as we will be adding more information as it becomes available.
