Savvy Games Targets China Deals as US-China Divide Widens

Savvy Games Group, backed by Saudi Arabia’s $38bn Public Investment Fund (PIF), is seeking multibillion-dollar deals across China and Asia as it aims to climb global publishing rankings. Currently ranked 8th by net revenue, Savvy is leveraging its neutral geopolitical position and recent acquisition of Scopely to accelerate its push to become a leading esports and gaming company.

With rising geopolitical tensions between the US and China closing several market avenues, Savvy Games Group sees an opening to form closer partnerships with Chinese and other Asian developers seeking global reach. CEO Brian Ward believes Savvy’s Saudi base allows it to avoid the regulatory obstacles faced by American companies: “We don’t have that regulatory or geopolitical burden because Saudi Arabia is not only geographically but kind of geopolitically in the middle,” Ward said in a statement to the Financial Times.

Since its $4.9bn acquisition of Scopely, which recently hit $10bn in lifetime revenue on the strength of titles like “MONOPOLY GO!” and “Stumble Guys,” Savvy has become the world’s second-highest-grossing mobile publisher. The company’s $38bn investment, part of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s Vision 2030 plan, is now being deployed to climb further up the publishing charts and generate high-tech jobs in the region.

Ward acknowledges the rise of AI tools could challenge job creation goals but also points to new opportunities and evolving roles in a rapidly changing games industry. Despite these headwinds, Savvy’s momentum, driven by strategic acquisitions and a focus on underserved Asian partnerships, positions it as a strong competitor to US and Chinese gaming and esports companies.