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 speaking to Bloomberg, the purpose of the proposed merger is to create a more streamlined and coordinated structure for the fund’s expanding portfolio of interactive‑entertainment assets. Savvy Games Group, which was launched in 2021 as the PIF’s flagship vehicle for investing in the global video‑game ecosystem, already controls a diverse set of assets.
Its current holdings include a controlling interest in Scopely, the mobile‑game studio known for titles such as "Star Trek Fleet Command" and "Marvel Strike Force," as well as stakes in ESL Gaming, the world’s largest esports organizer, and FaceIt, a competitive gaming platform that powers tournaments for titles ranging from "Counter‑Strike: Global Offensive" to "Rocket League." In addition, Savvy holds a $1 billion investment in Embracer Group, the Swedish conglomerate that owns a sprawling collection of development studios across Europe and North America. Beyond those core investments, Savvy’s portfolio extends into several of the industry’s most iconic publishers.
The group has accumulated minority stakes in Nintendo, the Japanese powerhouse behind franchises such as "Mario," "Zelda," and "Pokémon," as well as in Capcom, the creator of "Resident Evil" and "Monster Hunter," and Nexon, a leading online‑game developer in South Korea. It also owns pieces of Take‑Two Interactive, the parent of Rockstar Games and 2K, Activision Blizzard, the studio behind "Call of Duty" and "World of Warcraft," and Koei Tecmo, known for the "Dynasty Warriors" series. The timing of the merger discussion coincides with Savvy’s ongoing acquisition of Moonton, the Chinese mobile‑gaming company best known for the battle‑royale title "Mobile Legends: Bang Bang." The Moonton deal, valued at roughly $6 billion, was announced in March and is still pending regulatory clearance. Sources familiar with the matter indicated that any integration of EA into Savvy’s structure is unlikely to move forward until the Moonton transaction is fully completed, as the fund prefers to finalize one major consolidation before tackling another.
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. What is public, however, is that the PIF led a $55 billion leveraged buyout of EA that closed last month, making the sovereign fund the majority shareholder of the venerable game developer. The acquisition was originally announced in September of the previous year and was backed by a consortium that included the PIF, private‑equity firm Silver Lake, and the investment firm Affinity Partners.
In an internal memo circulated to EA employees after the deal closed, the company reassured staff that its "mission, values, and commitment to players and fans around the world would remain unchanged." The communication emphasized that EA would retain full creative control over its projects and that the studio’s longstanding culture of artistic freedom and player‑first philosophy would stay intact. "The Consortium believes in our vision, our leadership and our focus on creating games, stories, and content that reflect a range of experiences and delivering them to our global player community.
They're investing in the creativity that defines EA," the letter read. Leadership changes at Savvy have also been part of the recent narrative.
Last week, Brian Ward, who had served as CEO of Savvy Games since its inception, stepped down from his role. Turqi Alnowaiser, the deputy governor of the PIF and head of its International Investments Division, was named interim CEO.
In a farewell note to the company’s staff, Ward explained that Savvy was entering a new phase of "transformational growth" and that fresh leadership was essential to guide that evolution. During his tenure, Ward oversaw a massive $37.8 billion infusion of capital aimed at establishing Saudi Arabia as a formidable presence in the worldwide gaming industry, a goal that aligns with the kingdom’s broader Vision 2030 diversification strategy.
If the merger proceeds, it would bring EA’s extensive catalog of blockbuster franchises—such as "FIFA," "The Sims," "Battlefield," and "Apex Legends"—under the same corporate umbrella as Savvy’s existing esports and mobile‑gaming assets. Analysts speculate that the integration could enable cross‑platform synergies, allowing EA’s console and PC titles to benefit from Savvy’s expertise in live‑service models, mobile monetization, and competitive gaming infrastructure.
Conversely, Savvy’s portfolio could gain from EA’s deep development talent, global distribution networks, and strong brand recognition. Critics, however, caution that merging two large, culturally distinct organizations is fraught with challenges. Aligning EA’s traditionally Western‑focused development pipelines with Savvy’s more diversified, regionally varied investments could require careful management of intellectual‑property rights, revenue‑sharing agreements, and regulatory compliance across multiple jurisdictions.
Moreover, the pending Moonton acquisition adds another layer of complexity, as Chinese authorities scrutinize foreign ownership of domestic gaming firms. Overall, the potential combination reflects the PIF’s ambition to consolidate its gaming bets into a single, powerful entity capable of competing with the likes of Tencent, Sony, and Microsoft on the global stage.
By uniting EA’s creative engine with Savvy’s broad network of publishers, developers, and esports platforms, the fund hopes to accelerate the development of innovative gaming experiences, expand its reach into emerging markets, and solidify Saudi Arabia’s reputation as a rising hub for interactive entertainment. While the final decision remains pending, the industry will be watching closely to see how the PIF navigates the regulatory, operational, and cultural hurdles that such a high‑profile merger entails.
If successful, the move could reshape the competitive landscape of the video‑game sector and signal a new era of sovereign‑wealth‑driven investment in digital media.