Saudi PIF Transfers $12 Billion Gaming Stakes to Savvy Games Group

Saudi Arabia’s PIF (Public Investment Fund) is transferring around $12 billion USD worth of video game company shares to its subsidiary, Savvy Games Group, consolidating its growing global games portfolio under a single entity. The transfer will move direct ownership of several major holdings from the PIF to Savvy, according to Bloomberg.

Once completed, Savvy will own roughly 10% stakes in companies including Koei Tecmo, NCSoft, Nexon, and Square Enix. The transfer also includes the PIF’s holdings in Nintendo and Bandai Namco. 

Regulatory filings show that 11M shares in Take-Two Interactive, parent company of GTA (Grand Theft Auto), were already moved to Savvy in December 2025.

Saudi PIF Games Investment Consolidation Under Savvy Games Group

In September 2024, Savvy told Japan’s Nikkei that the PIF intended to shift its gaming stakes to the subsidiary as early as 2025. Savvy has indicated it will continue the PIF’s hands-off investment approach.

“These transfers will move the stewardship of PIF’s games investments to Savvy, given Savvy is a leading games organization for the PIF and a core component of the National Gaming and Esports Strategy,” Savvy spokesperson, Amar Batkhuu, said.

Founded in November 2021, Savvy was created as part of Saudi Arabia’s economic diversification strategy. It has since built a sizable portfolio, including a $1B stake in Embracer Group, the $4.9B acquisition of Scopely, and purchases of esports firms Electronic Sports League (ESL) Gaming and FaceIt. Meanwhile, Scopely’s Monopoly Go recently surpassed $6B in revenue.

Separately, the PIF remains the largest investor in a proposed $55B deal to acquire EA (Electronic Arts), though Savvy is not expected to take part. The restructuring reinforces that Saudi Arabia's gaming industry is making an effort to centralize its PIF gaming investments as the sector becomes a core pillar of its broader economic strategy.