Pokemon GO Developer Niantic is Reportedly Canceling Multiple Projects and Laying Off Staff
Niantic’s Pokemon GO was one of many greatest cellular hits of all time, and the San Francisco-based developer by no means fairly managed to duplicate its overwhelming 2016 success. Still, from the surface, it might need appeared that every part was going fantastic. The studio introduced the upcoming NBA All-World solely yesterday, and the monster-breeding AR sport Peridot nonetheless appears set for launch later this yr.
However, the studio doesn’t appear to be doing too properly behind the scenes. While Peridot and NBA All-World nonetheless seem like on the desk, the corporate has reportedly discovered itself in extreme monetary peril. In response, Niantic is canceling a number of merchandise and shedding nearly 100 workers.
Niantic CEO John Hanke lately instructed Bloomberg that the studio was “facing a time of economic turmoil” and had “begun reducing costs in a variety of areas.” This contains shedding between 85 and 90 workers members and canceling the event of 4 ongoing sport initiatives. One of the canceled titles is a Transformers sport referred to as Heavy Metal. Another is Hamlet, which Niantic developed in partnership with the theater group Punchdrunk Entertainment. According to Punchdrunk’s web site, it was to be the primary of a number of AR initiatives to let folks all over the place expertise Punchdrunk’s distinctive strategy to immersive performances. The different two canceled initiatives are Blue Sky and Snowball, although details about them is restricted.
Niantic’s monetary woes may appear unusual contemplating the continued reputation of Pokemon GO. Bloomberg’s article cites a report from analytics platform Sensor Tower indicating the sport’s pulled in a complete of $6 billion over its lifetime. That places Pokemon GO in an unique membership of cellular titles, together with PUBG Mobile, Honor of Kings, Candy Crush Saga, and Clash of Clans. It routinely pulls in $1 billion yearly and is the highest-grossing location-based AR sport by a large margin. Runner-up Dragon Quest Walk pulled in about $90 million within the first quarter of 2022, in comparison with Pokemon GO’s $198 million.
Fortunately, Pokemon GO followers don’t have to fret about their favourite sport shutting down any time quickly. A Niantic spokesperson instructed Bloomberg that Pokemon GO and NBA All-World are nonetheless beneath lively growth together with different video games. That presumably contains Niantic’s upcoming AR creature breeding sport Peridot. If these video games succeed, Niantic could possibly shake its standing as a one-hit-wonder. However, the studio’s current historical past makes {that a} large “if.”
