Saudi takeover of gaming industry leaves little room for dissent
The Observer
|July 13, 2025
Saudi Arabia's takeover of the gaming industry was on display this week at the Esports World Cup in Riyadh.
The tournament, which sees thousands of players compete in dozens of video games for a share of a $70m prize pot, is the latest of more than 100 major sporting events staged by the Gulf state in the past six years.
The country has committed to spend $38bn across the gaming sector by 2030 through its Public Investment Fund. Via its subsidiary Savvy Games Group, the PIF has taken equity stakes in giants such as Nintendo, Take-Two Interactive, Activision Blizzard and Electronic Arts. It has also bought up companies wholesale and built local infrastructure.
Cette histoire est tirée de l'édition July 13, 2025 de The Observer.
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