Brian Ward has announced his resignation from the role of chief executive officer at Savvy Games Group, as confirmed by an internal memorandum obtained by Bloomberg. In his farewell note, Ward expressed confidence that the company is poised to enter a new phase of transformative expansion and that fresh leadership would be essential to guide this evolution. He wrote, "As Savvy embarks on its next period of transformational growth, this is the right time for new leadership for that evolution," underscoring his belief that a change at the top would benefit the organization’s long‑term trajectory. Taking over the reins on an interim basis will be Turqi Alnowaiser, who currently serves as a deputy governor of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) and heads its International Investments Division.
Alnowaiser will act as the temporary chief executive until a permanent successor is identified. His appointment reflects the close ties between Savvy Games Group and its sole shareholder, the PIF, and signals a continued alignment with the broader strategic objectives of Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund.
Ward’s tenure at Savvy Games Group began with the company’s formation in 2021. Over the past three years, he has overseen a massive capital injection—approximately $37.8 billion—intended to accelerate Saudi Arabia’s footprint in the worldwide gaming sector. The fund’s ambition, as Ward has repeatedly emphasized, is to diversify the kingdom’s economy and drive social transformation through high‑profile investments in entertainment and technology.
In this context, Savvy Games Group was conceived as a vehicle to acquire, develop, and manage gaming assets that could compete on a global stage. Under Ward’s leadership, Savvy pursued an aggressive acquisition strategy. Notably, the firm purchased Moonton, the creator of the popular mobile title “Mobile Legends,” from ByteDance for a reported $6 million earlier this year.
In 2023, Savvy completed a landmark deal to acquire Scopely, a leading mobile game publisher, for roughly $4.9 billion. These transactions were designed to build a diversified portfolio of studios and intellectual property, giving the PIF a foothold in both the development and publishing sides of the industry. Before his stint at Savvy, Ward amassed a distinguished career across several of the world’s biggest gaming companies.
He held senior positions at Electronic Arts, where he contributed to the launch of major franchises, and at Microsoft’s Xbox division, where he helped shape console strategy and ecosystem development. He also served in a leadership capacity at Activision, gaining experience in both console and mobile gaming markets. This breadth of experience equipped him to navigate the complex regulatory, cultural, and commercial challenges inherent in expanding Saudi investment into a sector traditionally dominated by Western and East Asian firms.
Ward’s departure comes on the heels of a monumental transaction that has reshaped the landscape of Saudi gaming investments: the acquisition of Electronic Arts by a consortium led by the PIF for $55 billion. The deal, which closed earlier this month, represents one of the largest ever in the video‑game industry and has sparked internal discussions within Savvy about how two massive Saudi‑owned gaming entities will be coordinated. Sources familiar with the matter, who requested anonymity, told Bloomberg that the EA purchase raised concerns about potential overlap, governance structures, and the strategic direction of both companies. These concerns appear to have contributed to Ward’s decision to step down, although no official statement has linked his resignation directly to the EA deal.
Looking ahead, the interim leadership of Turqi Alnowaiser will likely focus on maintaining operational stability while the board conducts a thorough search for a permanent CEO. The new leader will be tasked with continuing the aggressive growth agenda, integrating recent acquisitions, and ensuring that Savvy’s activities remain aligned with the PIF’s broader goals of economic diversification, job creation, and cultural development.
In addition, the company will need to address the integration challenges posed by the EA acquisition, such as harmonizing corporate cultures, managing overlapping product pipelines, and navigating regulatory scrutiny in multiple jurisdictions. Industry observers note that Savvy’s strategy reflects a broader trend of sovereign wealth funds using high‑visibility entertainment assets to project soft power and attract talent to their economies. By building a robust gaming ecosystem, Saudi Arabia hopes to position itself as a hub for creative talent, technology innovation, and digital entrepreneurship. The success of this vision will depend heavily on the leadership’s ability to balance rapid expansion with sustainable business practices, foster partnerships with established developers, and nurture homegrown studios.
In summary, Brian Ward’s exit marks the end of a formative chapter for Savvy Games Group, during which the company secured billions of dollars in funding, acquired key studios, and laid the groundwork for Saudi Arabia’s ambitious entry into the global gaming arena. As Turqi Alnowaiser steps in as interim acting CEO, the organization faces the dual challenge of preserving momentum while charting a clear path forward in an increasingly competitive and rapidly evolving industry.