Niantic vs Zynga

Pokémon Go regional campaigns and Go Fest 2026

Pokémon Go is running UK-specific campaigns in 2026, including a Summer Quest activation in Shoreditch and a partnership with the National Trust across more than 140 sites. Jack Wilcock, Pokémon Go head of EMEA marketing, describes how localised Timed Research, creator meet-and-greets, and in-person activations drive community engagement. Go Fest 2026 ran city events in Tokyo, Chicago and Copenhagen (with earlier access to Mythical Zeraora for ticket holders) followed by the first-ever free Go Fest: Global. Scopely — which acquired Niantic’s games business last year — and The Pokémon Company International collaborate on campaign design. AppMagic estimates the free global event coincided with Pokémon Go’s highest monthly revenue in at least four years.

• Scopely acquired Niantic's licensed games business last year in a $3.5 billion deal.
• Pokémon Go partnered with the National Trust for a UK campaign covering more than 140 sites, originally running July 18–September 6 and extended to December 31, 2026.
• Pokémon Go ran a UK-exclusive Summer Quest activation in Shoreditch with local Timed Research, pop-up coffee redemption and creator meet-and-greets.

Scopely restructures Stumble Guys team

Scopely reorganised the team supporting its game Stumble Guys after a performance review, saying the changes could impact a limited number of roles. The company indicated it has transitioned some affected employees to other parts of the business and is supporting those who leave. Public posts from employees reported departures, including one senior producer who said they were laid off after returning from paternity leave. The restructuring follows Scopely's recent renaming of the Niantic games business it acquired to 'Scopely Explore.'

• Scopely reorganised the team supporting the game Stumble Guys following a review of the game's performance.
• The company said the reorganisation could impact a limited number of roles and that some impacted employees have been moved to other parts of the business.
• Several employees publicly announced their departures; one senior producer said they were laid off after returning from paternity leave.

Niantic Spatial Closes New Zealand Office

Niantic Spatial is closing its Aotearoa (New Zealand) office as it shifts focus away from games toward enterprise markets. Creative director James Everett confirmed the closure in a LinkedIn post, which the company said has resulted in an undisclosed number of layoffs; Everett indicated at least ten employees were laid off. Niantic Spatial was formed after Niantic Inc sold its licensed games business to Scopely in 2025 and the spinout previously secured $250 million to develop a large AI-powered geospatial model for use cases such as autonomous systems and AR glasses. The company continues to operate the AR title Ingress and discontinued Peridot earlier this year.

• Niantic Spatial is shutting down its office in Aotearoa (New Zealand).
• Creative director James Everett confirmed the closure in a LinkedIn post; at least 10 employees were indicated as laid off.
• Niantic Inc sold its licensed video game business to Scopely for $3.5 billion in 2025, leading to the creation of Niantic Spatial.

Jonathan Knight Promoted to Chief Games Officer at NYT

Jonathan Knight has been promoted to the newly expanded role of chief games officer at The New York Times, where he will continue to lead the publication's games operation. Knight, who joined NYT in September 2020, has overseen the growth of its games portfolio, including the acquisition and integration of Wordle and the launch of Crossplay. His responsibilities include managing the P&L and publishing pipeline for popular games such as The New York Times Crossword, Spelling Bee, Connections, Strands, and Pips. Before joining NYT, Knight held senior positions at Warner Bros. Games, Zynga, and Electronic Arts, with a track record of leading major game franchises and large teams. The appointment reflects NYT's continued investment in games as a key engagement and subscription driver.

• Jonathan Knight has been appointed chief games officer at The New York Times.
• Knight joined The New York Times in September 2020.
• He previously served as SVP and Head of Games at The New York Times.

Zynga News: Top Eleven Brings Roshn Saudi League and Global Superstars to 2026/27 Season

Zynga's news page has been updated with new press releases, including Top Eleven's partnership with the Roshn Saudi League, Zynga Poker's collaboration with Keegan-Michael Key, and Spades Plus teaming up with NBA All-Star Anthony Edwards.

Top Eleven Brings Roshn Saudi League and Global Superstars to 2026/27 Season

Zynga's Top Eleven game adds the Roshn Saudi League and global superstars for the 2026/27 season.