Brian Ward is leaving his role as chief executive of Savvy Games Group, the Saudi-backed investment company that has become one of the biggest forces in the global games industry.
Savvy has led Saudi Arabia’s electronic-entertainment investments since 2021, building stakes in major game companies and acquiring mobile publishers behind Monopoly Go! and Pokémon Go. The fund is valued at roughly $38 billion.
Turqi Alnowaiser, governor of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), will serve as interim CEO. PIF is the state investment vehicle that backs Savvy.
A leadership change during a wider reset
Ward reportedly told staff that new leadership was appropriate as Savvy entered its next phase of growth. His departure comes alongside management changes elsewhere in the PIF portfolio, as the investment organisation works to control costs.
The change also puts greater focus on the relationship between Savvy and Saudi Arabia’s direct gaming investments. Readers following the business side of the industry can find more updates in RETROCADE’s Arcade Blog.
Savvy’s expanding gaming portfolio
Before joining the Saudi gaming initiative, Ward ran the lottery-gaming company LottoInteractive. During the late 2000s, he was also Activision’s vice president of worldwide studios.
Savvy’s activities include investments across games and esports, while its acquisitions have brought prominent mobile properties into the wider Saudi-backed portfolio. The company is currently working to complete a $6 billion purchase of Chinese mobile developer Moonton Games.
Separate Saudi investment in Electronic Arts
Saudi Arabia recently completed the largest leveraged buyout in history through a $55 billion purchase of Electronic Arts. The transaction placed a substantial debt burden on the publisher of Madden and Battlefield.
That Electronic Arts investment sits outside Savvy, creating two major Saudi-connected routes into the games business. The overlapping structures have reportedly caused uncertainty among some Savvy staff about how the country intends to manage both entities.
For arcade operators and enthusiasts, the developments are another reminder that gaming investment now spans mobile publishing, esports and traditional interactive entertainment. RETROCADE’s arcade industry videos offer another way to follow the businesses shaping the wider sector.
Those building or upgrading a home setup can also explore the arcade machine buying guide, browse arcade machines, or compare compact bartop arcades.
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