Niantic
Niantic business and news from across the web.
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‘Lesson learned’: Pokémon GO fans call foul after Disguised Form Mimikyu hoodie hits shop post-event
Players of Pokémon GO are expressing frustration after Niantic added the Disguised Mimikyu hoodie cosmetic to the in-game Style Store for purchase with PokéCoins. Many players who bought the event's deluxe pass believed this item was exclusive to the pass's reward track, leading to accusations of 'scummy' practices and a feeling of wasted money.
New Pokemon Go Update May Have An Item That Catches Pokemon For You
A new in-game item called the Explorer Gadget may be coming to Pokemon Go, allowing players to automatically throw Poke Balls and spin Pokestops. This device would eliminate the need for external accessories like the Go Plus. It is speculated that the item will be monetized by the developer, though details on pricing or subscription models remain unknown.
Top 12 Most Expensive Video Game Buyouts Of All Time
This article lists the top 12 most expensive video game buyouts, with Microsoft's $75.4 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard topping the list. Other major deals include EA's $55 billion sale to an investor consortium and Take-Two's $12.7 billion purchase of Zynga. The analysis highlights trends of industry consolidation and significant investment from entities like Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund.
MMO Week in Review: EverQuest celebrates 27 years and a lawsuit settlement in its favor
EverQuest celebrated its 27th anniversary with a lawsuit settlement that favors Daybreak Game Company, keeping emulators offline. This week also saw layoffs at Amazon for Lost Ark developers, Facebook scaling back VR metaverse ambitions, and discussions around various MMORPG updates and industry trends.
Saudi-backed Savvy Games acquires mobile developer Moonton for $6 billion
Saudi-backed Savvy Games has acquired Chinese mobile developer Moonton for $6 billion, strengthening its position in the mobile gaming and esports markets. Moonton is known for its popular MOBA game Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, which boasts over 110 million monthly active players. This acquisition is part of Savvy Games' broader strategy to invest heavily in the gaming industry.
ByteDance is selling its Moonton game unit to Savvy Games for a cool $6 billion
ByteDance has agreed to sell its mobile game developer Moonton, known for Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, to Savvy Games Group for $6 billion. This move is part of ByteDance's strategic shift away from gaming towards AI, while Savvy Games Group, backed by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, continues its expansion in the gaming sector.
One Of The Top 10 Biggest Gaming Buyouts In History Just Happened
Savvy Games Group has confirmed its acquisition of Moonton Technology, the developer of Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, for over $6 billion USD. This deal marks the sixth-largest buyout in video game history, with ByteDance making a $2 billion profit from its 2021 purchase. Savvy Games Group has been active in acquisitions, previously buying Scopely and Niantic's gaming division.
Pokemon Go’s Niantic has leveraged years of collected player data to train… delivery robots
Niantic, the developer behind Pokemon Go, is using player data collected from the game and its other AR title Ingress to train delivery robots for Coco Robotics. Approximately 30 billion images and various sensor data points have been leveraged to create centimeter-accurate maps for urban navigation. Niantic Spatial plans to continue gathering player data with voluntary consent to enhance its visual positioning system technology.
If you're still playing Pokémon Go, you're helping train data-gobbling GPS AI for Niantic Spatial
Niantic is leveraging data from its popular game Pokémon Go to train AI models for its spinout company, Niantic Spatial. This initiative aims to create highly precise digital maps of the physical world, enabling machines and robots to navigate and interact with their surroundings. The collected data, which users agree to in the terms of service, is being used to develop geospatial AI with potential applications for delivery robots, AR glasses, and even the military.
Business and Finance
A Saudi Arabian investment firm, which also owns SNK, has acquired a significant stake in Capcom. Separately, Niantic is leveraging data from Pokemon Go for applications outside of video games, such as aiding robot food delivery.
With over 30 billion images logged, Pokemon Go is using players' activity to train its spinout AI company to help GPS pinpointing: "I'm very focused on trying to re-create the real world"
Niantic Spatial, a spinout from Pokemon Go developer Niantic, is using AR mapping data collected from players to train AI for improved GPS pinpointing. This technology aims to assist delivery robots, such as those from Coco Robotics, in navigating urban environments where GPS is less reliable. The company has trained its system on approximately 30 billion images captured by players, addressing concerns about data privacy by noting that players are informed about data collection for mapping purposes.
Niantic Says Pokémon Go Data Now Being Used to Train Delivery Robots, as 'Getting Pikachu to Realistically Run Around' Is 'Actually the Same Problem' - IGN
Niantic is leveraging data from its augmented reality games like Pokémon Go to train delivery robots for its partner company, Coco. The company claims the spatial understanding required for AR navigation is similar to that needed for robots to safely traverse urban environments. Niantic Spatial has access to billions of real-world images collected from players to aid in this development.
Pokémon Go scans used to train AI robots – you did read the terms and conditions, didn’t you?
Niantic has collected over 30 billion real-world images from Pokémon Go players, which are now being used to train robots for delivery navigation. This massive dataset, gathered over eight years, was created by users scanning landmarks and storefronts without realizing the extent of data collection. The article discusses the implications of this data usage for AI development and user privacy.
‘Monster Hunter Now’ Season 3 To Add Magnamalo, Heavy Bowgun Weapon, Cooking, and More on September 11th – TouchArcade
Monster Hunter Now's Season 3 update, titled "Curse of the Wandering Flames," will launch on September 11th and introduce Magnamalo, Rajang, and Aknosom as new monsters. The update also adds the Heavy Bowgun weapon type and a cooking feature. The game is available on iOS and Android.
Scopely hits $15 billion in lifetime revenue
Scopely has announced it has surpassed $15 billion in lifetime revenue after 15 years in the mobile gaming industry. The company's portfolio includes major titles like Pokémon Go and Monopoly Go, contributing to over 150 billion hours of playtime. Scopely has grown to over 3,000 employees globally and has made significant acquisitions, including Niantic and Loom Games, with the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia now holding a majority stake.
GDC Festival of Gaming Opening Today at SF’s Moscone Center
The GDC Festival of Gaming has opened at San Francisco's Moscone Center, marking the 40th edition of the event with a transformed format reflecting the broader gaming industry ecosystem. The festival aims to connect thousands of game-makers, publishers, investors, and other professionals. Several other gaming news items are also briefly mentioned, including updates for Football Manager 26, a research initiative by Avia Games and Duke University, a new trailer for MotorSlice, Monster Hunter Now's anniversary, a grant for ROCKFISH Games' EVERSPACE franchise, and a partnership between JAKKS Pacific and SEGA for Sonic the Hedgehog 4.
Monster Hunter Now 2.5 Year Anniversary Live
Monster Hunter Now is celebrating its 2.5-year anniversary with in-game events and benefits running until March 29. Players can enjoy reduced material requirements for popular elemental weapons and the return of Hope weapons with style customization. Exclusive anniversary content, including a hunter medal, Guild Card background, and stickers, is also available through event quests.
Pokémon Go Developer Declines to Confirm Hidden Nerf to Wild Shiny Odds as Part of New Season Changes - IGN
Players of Pokémon Go have observed that shiny Pokémon odds in the wild may have been secretly reduced as part of new season changes, making rare variants harder to find. Niantic, the developer, declined to comment on specific shiny rates, citing policy. While Niantic advertised increased shiny chances for Pokémon in eggs and raids, and for evolved forms in the wild, player-sourced data suggests a general flattening of odds from previously boosted rates for certain species.
Pokemon Go codes - Gotta redeem 'em all
This guide provides a list of active and expired promo codes for Pokemon Go, offering in-game items like Fusion Energy, Timed Research, and Poke Balls. It also explains how to redeem these codes on both iOS and Android devices via the Niantic Offer Redemption page or the in-game shop.
SHIHORI Fire & Ice RGX 2026 Guest of Honor
International J-pop singer-songwriter SHIHORI has been announced as a Guest of Honor for Fire & Ice RGX 2026, a gaming convention taking place June 20-21. SHIHORI, known for her work on "Jojo's Bizarre Adventure: Steel Ball Run" and various anime soundtracks, will perform at the event's Saturday concert. The article also briefly mentions upcoming releases and updates for games like Monster Hunter Now, MotoGP 26, GTA Online, NAKWON: LAST PARADISE, The Coin Game, and skate.
