Report: Saudi PIF Considering Merger of EA and Savvy Games Group

# What the report says Bloomberg reported that the Public Investment Fund (PIF) of Saudi Arabia is considering a merger that would combine Electronic Arts (EA) with Savvy Games Group, a company the PIF already owns. The report describes this as an active consideration rather than a completed plan.

# Who Savvy Games Group controls Savvy Games Group is an umbrella entity that holds several well-known gaming assets. Publicly known holdings include Scopely, which publishes mobile titles, and parts of Niantic, the studio behind Pokémon GO and Pikmin Bloom. Savvy is also in the process of acquiring Chinese mobile company Moonton. Those moves have expanded Savvy's presence across mobile, live services, and esports.

# Recent leadership shift at Savvy Nine days before the Bloomberg report, Savvy's CEO Brian Ward stepped down. Turqi Alnowaiser, deputy governor of the PIF, was named interim CEO. That personnel change places a senior PIF executive directly in Savvy's leadership while discussions about EA proceed.

# EA's sale and company assurances EA was recently acquired by a consortium that includes the PIF and U.S. investment groups Silver Lake and Affinity Partners. At the time of the sale, EA told employees the company would maintain creative control and preserve its stated values, and that the consortium would support investment in employees and company culture. Those statements remain the company's expressed position following the acquisition.

# What a merger would mean in practice If the PIF were to merge EA with Savvy, the combined group would bring major console, PC, and mobile gaming businesses under a single ownership structure. The report notes likely consequences: consolidation of assets, potential workforce reductions, and greater direct control by Saudi entities. Any such transaction would need to pass regulatory review in relevant jurisdictions.

# Wider PIF activity in the games industry The PIF has been actively investing in global gaming companies. Prior to buying EA outright, it already held a 10% stake in EA. The fund and related Saudi investment vehicles also hold stakes in Riot Games, Nintendo, Take-Two, Capcom, Embracer, Nexon, and Koei Tecmo. These holdings show a pattern of large-scale investments across multiple segments of the industry.

# Market and regulatory considerations Merging two large groups would face antitrust scrutiny because it consolidates many popular franchises and distribution channels. The Savvy group's ongoing Moonton acquisition and its other recent deals mean timing could be complex. Bloomberg's reporting emphasizes that no final decision has been reached and that discussions are ongoing.

# Immediate facts to track

• Regulatory filings or antitrust reviews in the U.S., EU, China, and other markets.

• Any announced workforce or organizational changes if a merger is proposed.

# Bottom line According to Bloomberg, Saudi Arabia's PIF is weighing a strategic consolidation of its gaming investments by combining EA with Savvy Games Group. The move would create a large, cross-platform gaming conglomerate under PIF control, with likely consequences for corporate structure, staff, and regulatory oversight.