Niantic Lays Off 230 Employees, NBA & Marvel Video games Cancelled

Pokémon Go developer Niantic is closing its Los Angeles Studio, shedding 230 workers whereas cancelling its NBA and Marvel AR video games.

In an “organizational update” this week, Niantic CEO John Hanke mentioned he is determined to “slim our focus for cell sport investments.” Citing a “very mature” cell video games market, he claims “solely one of the best and most differentiated titles have an opportunity to succeed.” Because of this, Niantic’s now closing its LA studio with 230 job losses and manufacturing is ending on Marvel: World of Heroes. NBA All-World, having solely launched again in January, shall be sundown however no timeline was offered.

Detailing his reasoning, Hanke mentions a “robust market atmosphere as a result of total international macroeconomic slowdown, in addition to distinctive challenges within the cell gaming and AR markets.” He additionally wrote that Niantic allowed “our bills to develop sooner than income” following a surge in income in the course of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Hanke reaffirms Niantic’s dedication to AR shifting ahead however he additionally discusses rising give attention to “constructing for the rising class of MR gadgets and future AR glasses.” He says Meta Quest Pro and the upcoming Apple Imaginative and prescient Professional validate AR’s long-term significance with video passthrough, although he calls them “solely an intermediate stepping stone to true out of doors AR gadgets.”

As for future tasks, Hanke calls Pokémon Go the corporate’s prime precedence, which stays one of many App Store’s most profitable games. He expresses cautious confidence in Pikmin Bloom, Peridot and the upcoming Monster Hunter Now’s prospects, alongside persevering with investments of their AR platform. That mentioned, anticipate to listen to fewer new sport bulletins sooner or later.