Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) will pay $3.5bn (£2.7bn) to buy the gaming division of developer Niantic, whose titles include the hit mobile game Pokémon Go. The game involves players walking around in the real world to hunt the collectable creatures, which appear on their phone screens using augmented reality.

Scopely said it would buy Niantic’s video game business, which includes Pokémon Go, for $3.5 billion. Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund acquired Scopely in 2023.

Scopely, a mobile game company, will purchase 'Pokémon Go' and other games from developer Niantic in a deal worth $3.5 billion, the companies announced Wednesday.

Saudi sovereign wealth fund-backed Scopely Inc. has agreed to buy Niantic Inc.’s gaming business, including the mobile hit Pokémon Go, for $3.5 billion.

One of the defining games of the last decade, Pokémon Go, now belongs to the Saudi Arabia government. Mobile game maker Scopely, which is owned by the Saudi royal investment fund, announced its purchase of the hit game along with the rest of Niantic Labs game business for $3.

Pokémon Go is being bought by Scopely, the Saudi fund-owned company behind Monopoly Go and Marvel Strike Force.