Saudi Arabia has cemented its position as a major player in the global gaming industry with the $55 billion acquisition of Sims and Battlefield-maker Electronic Arts, marking its biggest step yet toward Vision 2030’s digital diversification goals.
The influence of Gulf countries, especially Saudi Arabia, is steadily growing in the global video game market, which is expected to reach $600 billion within the next five years. Industry data from Grand View Horizon shows the market’s value rose from about $300 billion in 2024 to $337 billion so far in 2025.
Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, the Public Investment Fund (PIF), has been the driving force behind this expansion, making high-profile investments in major gaming companies and initiatives tied directly to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s Vision 2030 plan. The National Gaming and Esports Strategy (NGES), launched in 2022, positioned gaming as a key sector in the kingdom’s economic diversification agenda.
The landmark purchase of Electronic Arts for $55 billion through a Saudi-led consortium, with PIF as the largest investor, became the biggest gaming deal since Microsoft’s $68.7 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard, the developer behind World of Warcraft and Call of Duty.
Through Savvy Games Group, a PIF-backed entity, Saudi Arabia has also made significant inroads into the global e-sports scene. The group bought Los Angeles-based Scopely for $4.9 billion and previously acquired two major tournament organisers, ESL and FaceIt, for $1.5 billion combined.
Saudi Arabia’s ambitions have been showcased through initiatives such as the Gamers8 festival, which began in Riyadh in 2022 and has since grown into one of the world’s premier e-sports events. Its 2023 edition featured an unprecedented $45 million prize pool, setting a record in competitive gaming.
The kingdom’s focus on gaming reflects both cultural and demographic realities. Research cited by the law firm Bird & Bird shows that between 67% and 89% of Saudis regularly play video games, with nearly half of Saudi women identifying as gamers—far above the global average.
As Saudi Arabia deepens its investments, its growing footprint in the gaming industry signals a strategic shift not only toward economic diversification but also toward shaping the future of global entertainment.
Poland began two days of national mourning on Sunday (8 November) and police bolstered security after six people were killed in a mass shooting in ...
Security measures have been stepped up in Antalya, Türkiye, ahead of the COP31 United Nations climate summit, which begins on Monday, 9 Novemb...
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) dismissed a new U.S. military operation targeting the movement of weapons and sanctioned materi...
Poland has declared two days of national mourning after a gunman opened fire in Kraków's historic main square. Investigators are examining possible far-right influences and the discovery of three bodies at the suspect's home.
Russian forces launched a ballistic missile attack on Kyiv early on Saturday, 7 November, injuring two people and damaging residential buildings, just three days before U.S.-led peace talks with Ukraine and Russia in Abu Dhabi.
New Zealand’s ruling centre-right National Party has taken a narrow lead over the opposition Labour Party in Saturday’s general election, with the country’s current three-party coalition projected to retain power.
India's delivery of guided Pinaka rockets to Armenia is drawing renewed attention as analysts assess the military and strategic significance of one of New Delhi's most prominent defence export deals.
Azerbaijan, the United States and Armenia have launched trilateral technical planning groups to advance the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP), marking another step towards implementing the regional connectivity project agreed at the Washington peace summit in August 2025.
Poland began two days of national mourning on Sunday (8 November) and police bolstered security after six people were killed in a mass shooting in Kraków that the government said was likely inspired by far-right ideology.
Security measures have been stepped up in Antalya, Türkiye, ahead of the COP31 United Nations climate summit, which begins on Monday, 9 November, with thousands of additional personnel deployed across the Mediterranean city.
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) dismissed a new U.S. military operation targeting the movement of weapons and sanctioned materials on Sunday, 8 November, saying Washington would fail to isolate the Iranian economy despite expanding restrictions on maritime and land routes.
A Russian overnight attack on energy infrastructure in Ukraine's eastern Dnipropetrovsk region left more than 600,000 people without electricity on Sunday, 8 November, Ukrainian energy company DTEK said.
The Saudi-led coalition fighting Yemen's Houthis said it intercepted and destroyed two ballistic missiles fired by the Iran-aligned group towards Riyadh on Sunday (8 November), after loud booms were heard in the Saudi capital. The Aramco building was damaged by falling debris.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment