In the latest twist of fate that even Team Rocket couldn’t have predicted, Niantic—maker of your favorite augmented reality Pokémon-catching obsession—is laying off at least 68 workers. Yes, you heard me right. The company, which once rode high on the success of Pokémon Go, is now heading for a corporate shrink ray after selling its gaming division to Scopely, a developer owned by Saudi Arabia. Make that a BIG ‘oops’ moment.
According to a recently unearthed California WARN notice, Niantic is giving the axe to these employees on May 20, 2025. 68 staff members, just like Charizard in a snowstorm, are going *poof*. This is especially surprising considering Niantic just cashed in a hefty $3.5 billion from the sale, which makes you wonder—where’s that money going?
While we’ve all been dreaming of virtual monsters at our fingertips, now it seems Niantic may have bitten off more than it could chew. We thought catching Pokémon was the real challenge, but maybe keeping jobs is tougher!
So, fellow gamers and tech enthusiasts, what does this mean for the future of gaming? And will the next Pokémon be ‘Jobless Kanto Trainer’? Let’s just hope Pikachu can keep its slice of the virtual pie intact.
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