Saudi Arabia's PIF reportedly considering to combine EA with Savvy Games Group

GamesIndustry.biz reports Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund is considering folding Electronic Arts into Savvy Games Group, a move aimed at better coordinating its gaming assets. EA was just taken private in a $55 billion leveraged buyout led by the PIF, with Silver Lake and Affinity Partners, and the fund now controls the publisher as majority owner.

For developers, the immediate question is how much operational independence EA would keep under a deeper integration with Savvy. EA has already told staff its mission, values, and creative control will remain intact, but a merger would place it inside a broader investment and publishing network that already spans mobile, esports, and platform stakes.

Savvy's current holdings include Scopely, ESL Gaming, FaceIt, and a $1 billion stake in Embracer Group, plus stakes in Nintendo, Capcom, Nexon, Take-Two, Activision Blizzard, and Koei Tecmo. The group is also in the middle of a $6 billion acquisition of Moonton, and sources say any EA merger is unlikely until that deal closes.

The leadership backdrop matters too: Brian Ward stepped down as Savvy CEO last week, with PIF deputy governor Turqi Alnowaiser serving as interim CEO. Ward had overseen a $37.8 billion push to expand Saudi Arabia's footprint in games since Savvy's 2021 launch.