Niantic, the studio best known for Pokémon GO, has been renamed Scopely Explore and will adopt a new logo and branding across its portfolio, the company confirmed.
The change follows Scopely’s acquisition of Niantic — a deal that was widely reported last March and cited at approximately $3.5 billion — and arrives alongside Pokémon GO’s 10th anniversary celebrations.
Pokémon GO originally launched on July 6, 2016.
Background and context
Niantic began as Niantic Labs inside Google in 2010 and became an independent company in 2015.
The studio grew into a leading developer of location-based mobile games, launching Pokémon GO in July 2016 and later releasing titles including Pikmin Bloom (a collaboration with Nintendo that debuted in November 2021) and Monster Hunter Now (a collaboration with Capcom released in October 2023).
Scopely is a major mobile games publisher and, following its acquisition of Niantic, will consolidate Niantic’s teams under the Scopely Explore identity.
What the rebrand means
According to the official statement from Scopely, the new name is intended to reflect a long-standing emphasis on exploration in the studio’s work.
The company said the name change is not the creation of a separate legal entity; rather, Scopely Explore will operate as a mission-driven team within Scopely.
The statement framed the rebrand as emphasizing the teams’ shared goal of encouraging players to discover new places, connect with others, and experience the world in new ways.
Scopely said the Scopely Explore label will begin to appear across existing games and services in the coming weeks.
That rollout will encompass titles already associated with the team’s portfolio, such as Pikmin Bloom and Monster Hunter Now, as well as ongoing updates to Pokémon GO.
Platform and partnerships
The affected games remain mobile-first, available on iOS and Android via the App Store and Google Play.
Pikmin Bloom continues to reflect Nintendo collaboration, while Monster Hunter Now remains a partnership with Capcom.
Scopely has emphasized that, like other experiences in its portfolio, these products will continue to be developed and published under Scopely’s oversight.
What we know for sure
- Pokémon GO release date: July 6, 2016 (10th anniversary in July 2026).
- Pikmin Bloom release: November 2021.
- Monster Hunter Now release: October 2023.
- Scopely says Scopely Explore is a team within Scopely, not a separate company.
Scopely’s statement concludes that Scopely Explore will continue building experiences that inspire players to get outside and connect with one another.
Logo and branding updates are expected to appear across the studio’s games and digital storefront listings over the coming weeks.
The change follows Scopely’s acquisition of Niantic — a deal that was widely reported last March and cited at approximately $3.5 billion — and arrives alongside Pokémon GO’s 10th anniversary celebrations.
Pokémon GO originally launched on July 6, 2016.
Background and context
Niantic began as Niantic Labs inside Google in 2010 and became an independent company in 2015.
The studio grew into a leading developer of location-based mobile games, launching Pokémon GO in July 2016 and later releasing titles including Pikmin Bloom (a collaboration with Nintendo that debuted in November 2021) and Monster Hunter Now (a collaboration with Capcom released in October 2023).
Scopely is a major mobile games publisher and, following its acquisition of Niantic, will consolidate Niantic’s teams under the Scopely Explore identity.
What the rebrand means
According to the official statement from Scopely, the new name is intended to reflect a long-standing emphasis on exploration in the studio’s work.
The company said the name change is not the creation of a separate legal entity; rather, Scopely Explore will operate as a mission-driven team within Scopely.
The statement framed the rebrand as emphasizing the teams’ shared goal of encouraging players to discover new places, connect with others, and experience the world in new ways.
Scopely said the Scopely Explore label will begin to appear across existing games and services in the coming weeks.
That rollout will encompass titles already associated with the team’s portfolio, such as Pikmin Bloom and Monster Hunter Now, as well as ongoing updates to Pokémon GO.
Platform and partnerships
The affected games remain mobile-first, available on iOS and Android via the App Store and Google Play.
Pikmin Bloom continues to reflect Nintendo collaboration, while Monster Hunter Now remains a partnership with Capcom.
Scopely has emphasized that, like other experiences in its portfolio, these products will continue to be developed and published under Scopely’s oversight.
What we know for sure
- Pokémon GO release date: July 6, 2016 (10th anniversary in July 2026).
- Pikmin Bloom release: November 2021.
- Monster Hunter Now release: October 2023.
- Scopely says Scopely Explore is a team within Scopely, not a separate company.
Scopely’s statement concludes that Scopely Explore will continue building experiences that inspire players to get outside and connect with one another.
Logo and branding updates are expected to appear across the studio’s games and digital storefront listings over the coming weeks.
