SNK Unfazed by Saudi Arabia's 96% Stake: 'No Impact on Game Development'

Following Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund acquiring a 96% stake in SNK last year, a high-ranking representative from the company has come forward to state that this significant investment has not influenced their operations. The Public Investment Fund, led by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, has been investing in several major gaming companies over recent years, including upping its stake in SNK, the developer behind the King of Fighters series, to 96% in April 2021. Despite the controversies surrounding Saudi Arabia, including its human rights record, the war in Yemen, and allegations against the crown prince, SNK remains focused on game development. The country's strict laws, particularly those regarding homosexuality, have raised concerns about potential content restrictions in SNK's games, especially concerning female and LGBT characters. However, according to SNK producer and designer Yasuyuki Oda, 'We are just focused on making games. We're not a political company, so it doesn't affect us in any way. It has no effect on our creative output. We have full freedom on what we want to create.' This assurance from Oda mirrors statements made by Embracer CEO Lars Wingefors, who emphasized that his company's values of freedom, inclusion, humanity, and openness would not be altered by the transaction with the Saudi-backed Savvy Gaming Group. This year, the Public Investment Fund has also acquired stakes in Nintendo, Embracer Group, Capcom, and Nexon, totaling over $1 billion in investments.