Saudi Arabia is backing a reported $7 billion Dragon Ball Z theme park in France, creating the second project of its kind worldwide. A similar park is already under construction in Qiddiya City, near Riyadh.
The announcement followed Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s visit to Paris. French President Emmanuel Macron celebrated the agreement, saying he shared a passion for manga and wanted to attract major investment and job-creating projects to France. He wrote on X that the project reflected those priorities.
The partnership reportedly began with a shared interest in Dragon Ball Z during Macron’s 2025 visit to Saudi Arabia. Reuters reports that the conversation helped inspire the French development.
A Dragon Ball theme park is in the works in France. Developed in partnership with Qiddiya, which is set to open a similar park in Riyadh.
The French attraction is planned for Cergy-Pontoise, northwest of Paris, as part of a proposed group of three theme parks. Macron says the development could create 22,000 jobs and described it as an international destination on a scale not seen in France since Disneyland Paris.
Construction is expected to take several years, and no opening date has been confirmed. For readers following the wider growth of location-based entertainment, RETROCADE’s arcade news covers developments across the games and amusement industries.
Saudi Arabia’s expanding entertainment strategy
The Dragon Ball project is part of Saudi Arabia’s broader effort to build influence in global sport, entertainment, video games and anime through its sovereign wealth fund. That strategy has also attracted criticism from people who argue that high-profile cultural investments can divert attention from the country’s human rights record and authoritarian system.
Saudi-backed entertainment spending has included payments to international performers, while the country has also expanded its role in the games business. The source material notes that comedians including Dave Chappelle were criticised for accepting substantial fees to perform in Riyadh. Saudi Arabia has additionally completed the largest leveraged buyout in history by taking Electronic Arts, the publisher behind Battlefield and Madden, private; developers at the company were reportedly preparing for possible mass layoffs.
Macron thanked Qiddiya and Saudi Arabia for their confidence in France, its workforce and its future. He presented the investment as part of the country’s “Choose France” strategy, focused on attracting ambitious projects and creating jobs.
What the project means for arcade and theme-park fans
A Dragon Ball Z destination of this scale would represent a major blend of anime licensing, rides, retail and interactive entertainment. Until more details emerge, there is no confirmed information about its attractions, arcade content, design, operating model or launch schedule.
For anyone interested in bringing arcade entertainment home, RETROCADE’s arcade machine buying guide explains the main choices, while its arcade machines and bartop arcades offer different approaches to building a games room.
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