Pokemon Go Players “Filled with Dread” after Rumoured Change in Ownership

Pokemon GO players are mobilizing to push back against what they call “predatory monetization practices,” urging fellow trainers to email Niantic and Nintendo to voice their concerns.

The backlash stems from growing fears following rumors that the game may be sold to Scopely, a company known for its aggressively monetized mobile titles. A viral Reddit post has sparked the campaign, with community members stressing the need to “protect the app and its community” from potential monetization changes.

“I know this potential shift personally fills me with dread. Beyond being the only real game I play anymore, it serves as a major conduit for me and my friends socially to connect and meet-up over,” a passionate player said, lamenting the potential change in ownership.

The Pokemon Go community is worried about changes in monetization structure – a legitimate concern when taking Scopely’s preexisting history into consideration. 

Scopely is a Saudi-owned American company responsible for developing and publishing Monopoly Go. Monopoly Go is the second highest grossing mobile game of 2024, beaten only by Honor of Kings. The mobile iteration of the iconic board game is filled to the brim with pay to win mechanics, which undoubtably help drive the game’s high revenue.

Marvel Strike Force, another free to play mobile game title published by Scopely, has become more and more pay to play with time – microtransaction barriers of entry have become increasingly prevalent for in game events, barring exclusive rewards and participation behind real money.

Pokemon Go released in 2016, and has since achieved 630 million downloads worldwide. The game has continued to receive updates and quality of life changes. Though the game does have pay to win mechanics, the free-to-play experience is considered quite friendly when compared to other mobile contemporaries, such as Pokemon Masters and Pocket TCG.