Britain's Prince Andrew gives up title of Duke of York
Britain's Prince Andrew said on Friday he would give up using his title of Duke of York following years of criticism about his behaviour and connectio...
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.
Video from the USGS (United States Geological Survey) showed on Friday (19 September) the Kilauea volcano in Hawaii erupting and spewing lava.
At least 69 people have died and almost 150 injured following a powerful 6.9-magnitude earthquake off the coast of Cebu City in the central Visayas region of the Philippines, officials said, making it one of the country’s deadliest disasters this year.
Authorities in California have identified the dismembered body discovered in a Tesla registered to singer D4vd as 15-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez, who had been missing from Lake Elsinore since April 2024.
A tsunami threat was issued in Chile after a magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck the Drake Passage on Friday. The epicenter was located 135 miles south of Puerto Williams on the north coast of Navarino Island.
The war in Ukraine has reached a strategic impasse, and it seems that the conflict will not be solved by military means. This creates a path toward one of two alternatives: either a “frozen” phase that can last indefinitely or a quest for a durable political regulation.
Britain's Prince Andrew said on Friday he would give up using his title of Duke of York following years of criticism about his behaviour and connections to the late U.S. sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for October 18th, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy came to the White House on Friday looking for weapons to keep fighting his country's war with Russia, but met an American president who appears more intent on brokering a peace deal than upgrading Ukraine's arsenal.
Beijing has called on the Philippines to give up "unrealistic illusions" in the South China Sea, after Manila reaffirmed that Scarborough Shoal and the Kalayaan Island Group are integral parts of the Philippine archipelago.
The UN Security Council on Friday unanimously adopted a resolution renewing Haiti’s sanctions regime for another year. The measures include targeted asset freezes, travel bans, and an arms embargo.
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