Pokémon Go Rules Out Ronaldo Addition Despite Saudi Stake

Earlier this year, Niantic, the developer behind Pokémon Go, announced its decision to sell its mobile game portfolio to Scopely, the company behind Monopoly Go, in a $3.5 billion deal. This move elicited mixed reactions from the game's dedicated fanbase—some welcomed it, while others remained skeptical.

For certain players, the acquisition signaled liberation from Niantic's heavy emphasis on augmented reality (AR) features, which many felt disrupted gameplay. (Following the sale, Niantic rebranded as Niantic Spatial, now solely focused on advancing AR technology.) Scopely, on the other hand, prioritizes gaming experiences above all.

Yet for others—particularly those familiar with Scopely's other titles—the news raised concerns about aggressive monetization strategies and the influence of Scopely's parent company, Savvy Games, which is backed by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, a controversial sovereign wealth fund.

As part of his first interview since the $3.5 billion acquisition was finalized this month, Pokémon Go director Michael Steranka sat down to discuss what the change in ownership means for players and how the game will evolve under Scopely.

"We literally moved just one block away, so it wasn’t a drastic transition," Steranka remarked during an interview at Pokémon Go Fest 2025 in Paris, where we sat on branded deck chairs. "It was actually one of our existing overflow offices, so the space itself was familiar."

"The most surprising aspect of this transition is how seamless it’s been," he added. "From our perspective, it’s business as usual."

For Pokémon Go, "business as usual" means maintaining a packed calendar of in-game events, new Pokémon releases, and live gatherings like Go Fest and the imminent Pokémon Go Road Trip 2025, which kicks off in the UK later this month before concluding in Cologne this August. Despite the acquisition, Steranka confirms that development hasn't slowed—though he admits it's still early days.

"Yes, the deal officially closed during Osaka Go Fest, and the team has been swamped, so some disruptions were avoided intentionally," Steranka noted. "But based on my conversations with Scopely leadership, their approach is hands-off—they trust game teams to operate independently."

"Our entire development team transitioned with the game, and Ed Woo, who led us under Niantic, remains our point of contact within Scopely."

"One key shift is that AR will no longer be a top priority.“

So what will change? For starters, fans can expect less emphasis on AR gameplay—a departure from Niantic’s vision and a welcome change for many players.

"AR elements will take a backseat moving forward," Steranka admitted. "Let’s be honest, a lot of players weren’t thrilled with some of the AR additions over the years. If we integrate AR features in the future, it'll only be if they genuinely enhance the fun."

Unlike Niantic, Scopely is purely a gaming company—a distinction Steranka describes as "a breath of fresh air."

"Philosophically, it’s liberating to join a company fully committed to gaming," he said. "At Niantic, priorities were sometimes divided. Here, every decision aligns with what’s best for the game—and that’s energizing for the team."

Recent updates, such as the Lucky Trinket and premium Golden Bottle Cap, were already in the works before Scopely’s involvement—refuting assumptions that the acquisition directly influenced these additions.

"It’s amusing—some players assume recent tweaks were Scopely-driven, but these were always part of our pipeline," Steranka explained. "Scopely hasn’t interfered. If anything, they’ve supported our existing roadmap. More exciting features are coming later this year."

Pokémon Go’s content strategy is mapped out years in advance, Steranka confirmed, meaning no abrupt changes from the new ownership.

"I think skeptics will remain skeptical.“

To address player concerns, Steranka sat down with popular YouTuber TrainerTips shortly after the sale announcement. Now, with the deal complete, I asked how the community’s sentiment has evolved.

"Skepticism lingers, and that’s understandable," Steranka said. "Our job is to prove this was the right move over time. That TrainerTips interview did help ease some fears—I’d say reaction is cautiously optimistic."

"Scopely’s track record is strong. Actions speak louder than words, and so far, their actions have been fantastic. I expect that to continue."

Still, the shift from Niantic’s progressive ethos to a Saudi-backed parent company raises questions. I asked Steranka about internal discussions regarding Savvy Games’ ownership.

"I raised this directly with Scopely’s co-founder Walter Driver," Steranka acknowledged. "First, our team won’t interact with Savvy directly—they let Scopely operate independently. Second, meaningful change requires engagement. That aligns with Pokémon Go’s philosophy ofbringing people together."

"No directives will come from Savvy. If anything, we now have better resources to invest in long-term improvements—without being trapped in a public company’s quarterly earnings cycle."

"You can’t drive change by disengaging.“

Recently, Saudi-backed SNK drew attention by featuring Cristiano Ronaldo in a new game—sparking speculation about similar brand integrations in Pokémon Go.

"Definitely not happening," Steranka laughed. "That’s just not our style."