Why is Saudi Arabia buying up the video-game industry?
Update: 2025-10-13
Description
The source provides an extensive overview of Saudi Arabia's aggressive, strategically motivated investment in the global video game industry, primarily executed through the Public Investment Fund (PIF) and its gaming arm, Savvy Games Group. This initiative is framed as a critical component of the nation's Vision 2030 blueprint, aiming for economic diversification away from oil by building domestic industries and creating non-oil employment for its young population. The episode details the scale and variety of acquisitions, ranging from esports operators and major mobile publishers (like Scopely, which acquired Pokémon Go) to strategic minority stakes in established Western and Asian companies. While these moves offer financial benefits and support for the industry, the strategy also faces significant criticism concerning creative independence, "sportswashing" accusations, and geopolitical scrutiny. Ultimately, the text argues this is a long-term system-building effort that seeks to establish the kingdom as a major global gaming and technology hub.
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