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Bo_Hazem

Bloomberg has published an article detailing the Saudi Arabian government’s intention to spend a whopping $38 billion building a ‘gaming hub’ in the heart of the country. It’s an effort to become an industry leader and to diversify the country’s economy, which up until now has been almost entirely centred around oil.

This venture will reportedly be led by Savvy Gaming Group, and one of the first actions on the docket is to acquire or create a firm that could enable ‘new IP’ to be created in-country. Not only that but through heavy investment, Savvy seeks to increase stakes in companies like Nintendo and flesh out a thriving esports ecosystem in Saudi Arabia.

Will Saudi Arabia Become a Gaming Nation?​

Savvy has been making massive waves in recent years, acquiring iconic esports firm, ESL, in 2022, securing one of the most steadfast footholds in the competitive gaming community. It’s tough for the esports industry at the moment, and almost every organisation in the space operates at a loss – the road to profitability is a tough one, but Savvy is poised to face that road with a smile on its face.

In a statement to Bloomberg, CEO of Savvy, Brian Ward, explained what’s on the cards for the months ahead:

We are now more of an esports company than a games company. What we’re doing this year is focusing more on game publishing and development. We would like to use those investments to begin to work with these companies and ask how we can work together on publishing in (the Middle East and North Africa), run their esports businesses or develop new IP together,

Ward himself is a veteran of the industry, and his lengthy career has taken him through the doors of Activision and Electronic Arts, among other firms. Reportedly, Savvy boasts a $13 billion fund that it can use to invest in – or acquire – a game publisher, but on the subject of Electronic Arts, Ward claimed that the California-headquartered firm would be ‘too big’ for them to pick up.

In Bloomberg’s article, it was suggested that Riyadh-based Savvy is turning to game development because of a lack of traction in the esports space. No big esports backers are looking to sign up with Savvy – including Riot Games and Activision Blizzard, and that’s likely a geographical and political issue.


It’s no big secret that Saudi Arabia’s base nature has caused countless controversies over the years, and some developers, publishers, and tournament organisers have made active, targeted efforts to avoid operations there. However, speaking to Bloomberg, Ward stood firmly and claimed that he’d ‘hire an LGBTQ or Jewish person to lead a game studio in Saudi Arabia.’

 

[IFireflyl]

No thanks.

 

[SJRB]

Money well spent.

 

[Flutta]

 

[SmokedMeat]

What’s a gaming hub?

 

[DeepEnigma]

What's the catch?

Anytime governments make direct investments into the private sector, especially this large, what's the catch?

 

[feynoob]

What we feared is starting now.

 

[TheDraconian]

 

[feynoob]

No thanks.

This is just the beginning.
MS layed down the foundation. Now the big boys are coming out from their hideouts.

 

[Beastclaw Raider]

Ah, I can see that gaming hub filled with inclusiveness

 

[Magic Carpet]

What's the catch?

Anytime governments make direct investments into the private sector, especially this large, what's the catch?

You can't pay in Dollars.

 

[STARSBarry]

 

[Elder Legend]

Resetera must be having an anyrusem right now.

 

[feynoob]

Can it top this though.

 

[mansoor1980]

these guys can resurrect E3

 

[Daneel Elijah]

these guys can resurrect E3

As long as E3 is in Saudi Arabia, then yes.

 

[TrebleShot]

Saudi just shot themselves in the foot.
I don't know how much the rest of you know about American culture (I'm an expert), but honor and shame are huge parts of it. It's not like it is in the Europe where you can become successful by being an asshole.

If you screw someone over in America, you bring shame to yourself, and the only way to get rid of that shame is repentance.

What this means is the american public, after hearing about this, is not going to want to purchase games for either system, nor will they purchase any of Saudis games.

This is HUGE. You can laugh all you want, but Saudi has alienated an entire market with this move.

Saudi, publicly apologize and cancel all games or you can kiss your business goodbye.

 

[Spyxos]

They are investing more and more money. I think they underestimate gaming.

 

[DAHGAMING]

Ah, I can see that gaming hub filled with inclusiveness

Probably get them migrant workers in that built the stadiums for the Qutar world cup aswell.

 

[TheAssist]

But who wants to actually work there?

 

[Rush2112]

Fun fact, its actually ILLEGAL to go to a movie theater in Saudi Arabia. You can also be tried and executed for SORCERY.

 

[ChorizoPicozo]

and still less that THE acquisition

 

[Grildon Tundy]

Saudi just shot themselves in the foot.
I don't know how much the rest of you know about American culture (I'm an expert), but honor and shame are huge parts of it. It's not like it is in the Europe where you can become successful by being an asshole.

If you screw someone over in America, you bring shame to yourself, and the only way to get rid of that shame is repentance.

What this means is the american public, after hearing about this, is not going to want to purchase games for either system, nor will they purchase any of Saudis games.

This is HUGE. You can laugh all you want, but Saudi has alienated an entire market with this move.

Saudi, publicly apologize and cancel all games or you can kiss your business goodbye.

 

[hemo memo]

No thanks.

What an awful first post.

Yes please. Not interested in esports but it is a start.

 

[SlimeGooGoo]

Savvy seeks to increase stakes in companies like Nintendo

BASED

CUTE

 

[Mr.Phoenix]

come on people... lets cut out the stereotyping,

on topic... i don't know what this means.

 

[dead monkey uk]

Does this make the chance of Kratos killing Jesus in the next game more likely?

 

[Kurotri]

Savvy has been making massive waves in recent years, acquiring iconic esports firm, ESL, in 2022, securing one of the most steadfast footholds in the competitive gaming community. It’s tough for the esports industry at the moment, and almost every organisation in the space operates at a loss – the road to profitability is a tough one, but Savvy is poised to face that road with a smile on its face.

This is some anime bullshit

 

[Shifty1897]

Hard pass.

 

[calistan]

What’s a gaming hub?

It's like this but made of solid gold and encrusted with diamonds.

 

[RCU005]

Microsoft for the low price of “buying everything from the competition so they can’t win”, they could’ve made so many studios for new games and experiences, as well as a huge investment into research and development.

Or two gaming hubs!

 

[Rentahamster]

Imagine if they made a hub around videos of people having sex with each other. What would they call it?

 

[Chukhopops]

This is just the beginning.
MS layed down the foundation. Now the big boys are coming out from their hideouts.

They were not particularly well hidden considering they have been investing in tech companies since 2016.

In fact they bought a stake in ABK before the MS buyout.

 

[Kilau]

Imagine if they made a hub around videos of people having sex with each other. What would they call it?

LoveHub?

 

[Seider]

With $38 Billion you dont buy even half Activision

 

[Haint]

This means they will be making multi-million dollar poaching offers to industry veterans to get them to come work for their studio's a few years, like their LIV PGA Golf competitor.

 

[West Texas CEO]

Is this a glorified arcade?

 

[Spitfire098]

At least the games stay multiplatform.

 

[HoodWinked]

What's the catch?

Anytime governments make direct investments into the private sector, especially this large, what's the catch?

its primarily to diversify out of oil. they own SNK and major stakes in other major gaming companies. But also probably see it as a way to spread their culture and ideals.

 

[Futaleufu]

its primarily to diversify out of oil. they own SNK and major stakes in other major gaming companies. But also probably see it as a way to spread their culture and ideals.

The closest thing to "spread their culture and ideals" in SNK games so far has been Najd in KOF

 

[Kilau]

The closest thing to "spread their culture and ideals" in SNK games so far has been Najd in KOF

 

[GHound]

Yeah? Fuck it, go on then.

 

[IFireflyl]

What an awful first post.

Yes please. Not interested in esports but it is a start.

If you think that the post, "No thanks," is awful, I don't think you belong on the internet. You know that censorship is a real thing in Saudi Arabia, right? This is a heavily Islamic nation, and its government has strict control over all content. That is not a place for the video game industry to thrive.

 

[SlimeGooGoo]

That's not a place for the video game industry to thrive.

Meanwhile, in the supposedly superior part of the world:

 

[spawn]

I'm not sure what a gaming hub is supposed to be. Is it digital like a Metaverse? Is it physical like an E3 event?

 

[feynoob]

At least the games stay multiplatform.

Until cloud kicks off and those are locked on a subscription service.

 

[Slicker than your average]

Eww no. Saudi shit hole

 

[adamsapple]

At least the games stay multiplatform.

Wait till MBS launches his console

 

[IAmNotFromDelaware]

Well, everyone knows countries with ancient oppressive policies breeds innovation. Not many folks know this but Super Mario was imagined by Miyamoto while he lived in apartheid South Africa.

Donkey Kong? While vacationing in Siberia.

 

[dezzy8]

Would like to see what they put out.