Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, the Public Investment Fund (PIF), is reportedly weighing a strategic move to fold Electronic Arts (EA) into its gaming subsidiary, Savvy Games Group. According to insiders who spoke to Bloomberg, the primary motivation behind the proposed merger is to create a more unified and efficient structure for the fund’s burgeoning collection of gaming assets. Savvy Games Group, which was launched in 2021, already boasts an impressive roster of holdings. Its current portfolio includes mobile and esports platforms such as Scopely, ESL Gaming, and FaceIt, as well as a sizable minority stake—roughly $1 billion—in the Swedish video‑game conglomerate Embracer Group.
Beyond those core investments, Savvy also maintains equity positions in a number of high‑profile developers and publishers, including Nintendo, Capcom, Nexon, Take‑Two Interactive, Activision Blizzard, and Koei Tecmo. This diversified basket gives the Saudi fund a foothold across multiple segments of the global games market, from console hits to mobile sensations and competitive esports. The timing of the potential EA‑Savvy integration appears to be linked to another major transaction that Savvy is currently pursuing.
In March, Savvy announced a $6 billion acquisition of Moonton, the Chinese studio best known for the hit mobile title "Mobile Legends: Bang Bang." Sources close to the deal indicated that the EA merger is unlikely to move forward until the Moonton purchase is fully closed, suggesting that the PIF wants to avoid over‑extending its management bandwidth while a large cross‑border deal is still being finalized. Both the PIF and EA declined to comment on the speculation when approached by Bloomberg, and a Savvy spokesperson did not respond to requests for clarification.
Nevertheless, the broader context of the deal is already public: the PIF led a $55 billion leveraged buyout of Electronic Arts that was completed last month, making the Saudi fund the majority shareholder of one of the world’s most influential game developers. The acquisition, first announced in September of the previous year, was backed by a consortium that included the PIF, private‑equity firm Silver Lake, and investment firm Affinity Partners.
In an internal memo circulated to EA employees after the takeover, the company reassured staff that its core mission, values, and dedication to players worldwide would remain unchanged. The communication emphasized that EA would retain full creative control and continue its tradition of “player‑first” development.
It also highlighted the consortium’s belief in EA’s vision and leadership, noting that the new owners were “investing in the creativity that defines EA.” Leadership changes at Savvy Games have accompanied the rapid expansion. Last week, Brian Ward stepped down after serving as CEO since the firm’s inception.
Turqi Alnowaiser, the deputy governor of the PIF and head of its International Investments Division, was appointed interim CEO. In a farewell note to employees, Ward wrote that Savvy was entering “the next period of transformational growth” and that fresh leadership was essential for the next phase of evolution. During his tenure, Ward oversaw a $37.8 billion infusion of capital aimed at cementing Saudi Arabia’s presence in the global gaming ecosystem, a strategy that aligns with the kingdom’s broader Vision 2030 objectives to diversify its economy beyond oil.
If the merger proceeds, it would create a single, vertically integrated entity that combines EA’s deep expertise in AAA console and PC titles with Savvy’s expansive portfolio of mobile, esports, and emerging‑market investments. Such a structure could enable more efficient allocation of resources, cross‑promotion of IP across platforms, and a unified approach to negotiating distribution and licensing deals worldwide.
Analysts speculate that the combined group could also leverage Savvy’s existing relationships in Asia—particularly through its stake in Moonton—to accelerate EA’s penetration into the fast‑growing mobile gaming sector, an area where EA has historically lagged behind competitors. Critics, however, caution that merging two large, culturally distinct organizations could present integration challenges.
EA’s corporate culture, rooted in decades of Western development practices, may clash with Savvy’s more diversified, multinational approach. Moreover, regulatory scrutiny could arise, especially given the size of the combined entity and the strategic importance of gaming content in both Western and Asian markets. Regardless of the hurdles, the PIF’s aggressive push into the gaming industry signals a long‑term commitment to becoming a major player on the world stage. By consolidating its assets under a single umbrella, the fund hopes to streamline decision‑making, foster innovation, and ultimately generate sustainable returns that support Saudi Arabia’s economic diversification goals.
The next few months will likely reveal whether the EA‑Savvy merger moves from rumor to reality, shaping the future landscape of global gaming ownership and influence.