John Hanke’s Post

Today marks the closing of one chapter and the opening of a new one for Niantic. We just announced that Scopely will be acquiring our games business, including Pokémon GO, Pikmin Bloom, and Monster Hunter Now. And we’re spinning out a new geospatial AI company, Niantic Spatial Inc. We founded Niantic 10 years ago to inspire people to explore the world, together, by overlaying it with digital experiences. I’m grateful to everyone who joined us on this journey, and I’m proud that players have explored 30+ billion miles and made over a billion friend connections in our games. Every week we hear inspiring stories of people finding lifelong partners, making exercise more fun, or discovering a new sense of belonging. I’m confident our games will thrive with Scopely. I've often talked about building “forever games,” and I believe they will continue to be just that. To our players: thank you. I’m also incredibly excited about what’s next with Niantic Spatial. Why? Because we’re in the midst of seismic changes in technology, with AI evolving rapidly. Existing maps were built for people to read and navigate but now there is a need for a new kind of map that makes the world intelligible for machines, for everything from smart glasses to humanoid robots, so they can understand and navigate the physical world. Today's LLMs represent the first step towards a future where a variety of expert models collaborate to reason and understand complex problems, and many of those problems will require deep and accurate knowledge of the physical world. Niantic is building the models that will help AI move beyond the screen and into the real world. With $250M in funding, some of the world's best geospatial AI talent, access to proprietary data, a strong customer pipeline, and a rapid product cycle, I believe Niantic Spatial is poised to succeed and, like the games that gave birth to it, to make its own positive impact on the world. Stay tuned for more info. jh

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Congratulations to you and the entire team on a remarkable journey so far. I can't wait to see what is next.

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Belief shapes perception, if you believe amazing things can happen. Success!

Holly Liu

Investor / Co-founder @Kabam (prev)

3d

Congratulations!!

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Jordan Tritell

Co-founder & CTO | Redflag. Building AI for faster, more comprehensive due diligence in real estate. AI engineer, geospatial mapping, VR. Launched 2 geospatial games @Niantic + Oculus Rift CV1 @Meta.

5d

Proud to have been part of the mission. Congrats on this moment John!

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Hi John and Omar, congrats on such a big and iconic milestone! From day 1, the vision you had for Niantic, Inc. had no equivalent. Looking forward to this new chapter and already rooting for you! Special thoughts and thanks to Mathieu de Fayet, whose role was instrumental in building the first partnerships and monetize the Ingress experience to corporates, starting with AXA ;-) Godspeed!

Nadia Amro

Dedicated chemical engineer with experience in project management and business development working to contribute to advancements in technology and sustainable solutions.

3d

It will always have been my honor to have watched Niantic grow. To have been at the advent of history is a rare thing. So many friends have met their spouses and life-long friends through Ingress and Pokémon Go, and I have had the pleasure of knowing and loving some of the closest people in my life because of a "game". No matter what happens now, you have left an indelible mark on the world that no one can ever take away. John Hanke , thank you for everything. You know my story, and I am still standing thanks to the support of a community that was like no other. ❤️ #MoreThanAGame

Matthieu Castel

Manager Sales Engineering | France at Jamf

5d

It’s quite sad that Pokémon GO changes its ownership. You managed to create something truly unique in the gaming history. I remember the first Pokémon GO Fest and how you personally went to meet the community. Your leadership made the difference.

James Xing 🔜 GDC

PC, Mobile , Console Game Expert

5d

Congrats 👏

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Simon Zhu

President, Global Investments and Partnerships

5d

Congrats John and the best is yet to come

Benjamin Richards

GenAI | Digital Twins | XR & Immersive Content | AI Content Creation | Animation & Realtime Computer Graphics Technology | Strategic Vision & Growth Specialist

5d

Can I come and work with you please John Hanke?

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