Saudi Gaming Fund CEO Steps Down Amid $55B EA Acquisition

Brian Ward, the CEO of Saudi Arabia's $38 billion gaming fund Savvy Games Group, has stepped down. He will be replaced by Turqi Alnowaiser, the governor of Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, as interim CEO. Savvy Games Group owns stakes in companies such as Niantic, the developer of Pokémon Go, and Scopely, the studio behind Monopoly Go!.

Ward's departure comes amid other management shifts across the Public Investment Fund's portfolio. Prior to joining Savvy Games Group, Ward led the lottery gaming company LottoInteractive and was VP of worldwide studios at Activision in the late 2000s. During his tenure at Savvy Games Group, he oversaw significant investments in the gaming industry, including $3.5 billion spent on Niantic in 2025 and $4.9 billion spent on Scopely.

Savvy Games Group is currently in the midst of closing a $6 billion acquisition of Chinese mobile giant Moonton Games. The company has been spearheading Saudi Arabia's investments in electronic entertainment since 2021. Recently, Saudi Arabia completed the largest leveraged buyout in history with the sale of Electronic Arts for $55 billion. This deal has sparked concern internally at Savvy over how the two giant Saudi-owned video-game businesses will be run.

## What happens next The departure of Brian Ward and the appointment of Turqi Alnowaiser as interim CEO may signal a shift in Saudi Arabia's strategy for its gaming investments. With Savvy Games Group still having the majority of its $38 billion funds to deploy on gaming acquisitions, the company is expected to continue making significant investments in the industry. However, the acquisition of Electronic Arts has raised questions about how the two entities will be managed and what the future holds for Savvy Games Group.

The gaming industry is a significant sector for Saudi Arabia, with the country looking to diversify its economy and invest in new technologies. The acquisition of Electronic Arts and the investments made by Savvy Games Group are part of this strategy. However, the human rights concerns surrounding Saudi Arabia's investments in the gaming industry have raised questions about the ethics of these investments.

## Background Savvy Games Group has been at the forefront of Saudi Arabia's investments in the gaming industry. The company has made significant investments in various gaming companies, including Niantic and Scopely. The acquisition of Electronic Arts has marked a new era for Saudi Arabia's investments in the gaming industry, with the country looking to become a major player in the sector. However, the management of these investments and the strategy for the future remain uncertain.