Pokémon Go’s controversial $3.5 billion ownership deal spells concerns over microtransactions, ethics

A gaming deal of Gigantamax proportions took place on March 12, with Niantic selling their gaming division to mobile giant Scopely for $3.5 billion in total.

The deal included Pokémon Go and other titles like Pikmin Bloom and Monster Hunter Now, along with services like Campfire. While some community members are optimistic that this acquisition could prove positive for the game, others are already concerned about the future of Go. Players tore into the news in community threads and forums as soon as it was announced, reviewing the official statements from Niantic Labs and Scopely while discussing what it could all mean for the player base as a whole.

Some viewers shared that they’d begun transferring their critters over to Pokémon HOME and other titles in preparation for any upcoming changes, fearing that it could get more difficult or even more expensive to send their collection to other locations.

“They should let us transfer all our Pokémon to HOME for free without time gating for those who want to opt out of the new owner,” one player suggested, with others agreeing that doing so now is likely best just in case Scopely decides to monetize the feature more.

Others took the opportunity to theorize about what Go might look like under the guidance of Scopely’s team. Some predicted that a new battle pass system might pop up, while others foresaw changes to Remote Raid limits and currencies or monetization strategies. The players who felt concerned about monetization or the introduction of ads in the game pointed to other titles in Scopely’s portfolio like Marvel Strike Force as an example of what might happen in Go.

Opting for more of a light-hearted take, one player joked that the community might finally see the debut of the anxiously-awaited Cowboy Hat Caterpie with this new change in management.

A handful of community members weren’t convinced that the acquisition spelled the end of days for the game, either. “All these people saying it’s time to quit will immediately close Reddit and open Pokémon Go,” one reader reminded the others. “Relax, see what happens, it’s just a game.”

Another happily pointed out that in the official Pokémon Go article about the breaking story, the senior vice president of the game had noted that the team behind the game would be remaining together throughout the new partnership.

Whether you’re excited about the future of Go or feeling apprehensive about where the game might end up with this change in direction, it’s undoubtedly going to be an interesting couple of months ahead for the mobile title. No major changes to the game have been announced at the time of writing.

To learn more about Scopely’s acquisition of Niantic’s games division, take a look at our initial story about the mega mobile gaming deal. We’ll be sure to update with any further news about this acquisition or any new changes to the Pokémon Go calendar for the year ahead.