Niantic to Lay Off 68 Employees After $3.5 Billion Pokémon GO Deal

Niantic, the company behind Pokémon GO, is laying off 68 employees. The job cuts will happen on May 20, 2025, according to a report found by Game Developer.

The report is part of California’s WARN system, which informs the public about upcoming layoffs. These layoffs come just one month after Niantic sold its gaming division to Scopely, a company owned by Saudi Arabia. The sale was worth $3.5 billion.

Niantic shared the news earlier, in a blog post from March 20. In that post, the company included an email from CEO John Hanke. He explained that the company is changing direction and no longer needs some jobs.

“After a lot of consideration, it became clear that some roles would not be required given our new focus,” Hanke wrote.

He also said the layoffs are not about performance. “These decisions are never easy; they in no way reflect the individuals’ performance,” he added. “We deeply appreciate the talented individuals who helped us get here and for their many contributions, and will support them as they transition to new opportunities.”

A Niantic spokesperson confirmed to Game Developer that the layoffs are related to the WARN report and that they had nothing more to add.

Niantic sold its games to focus on something new—geospatial AI technology. The company is now working under a new name: Niantic Spatial Inc. This move shows the company is shifting away from games and more into tech tools that use maps and location data.

Even though Niantic sold its gaming division, games like Pokémon GO, Monster Hunter Now, and Pikmin Bloom will continue. They are now managed by Scopely. After the sale, Pokémon GO’s senior product director, Michael Steranka, talked to fans and responded to concerns about new ads and possible playtime limits.

The future of Niantic looks very different now, and fans and former employees are watching closely to see what comes next.

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