Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund is reportedly exploring plans to merge Electronic Arts with its existing gaming subsidiary, Savvy Games Group, potentially creating one of the largest gaming conglomerates in the world. The move, first reported by Bloomberg via Rock Paper Shotgun, comes just weeks after the PIF finalized its record-breaking $55 billion leveraged buyout of EA, and sources say the goal is to ensure “better coordination” between the fund’s growing collection of gaming properties.
If the merger proceeds, it would bring an enormous roster of gaming franchises and companies under a single corporate umbrella. Savvy Games Group already controls Scopely — the studio behind Pokémon Go and Monopoly Go — along with esports organizations like ESL and game publisher SNK. The PIF also holds significant minority stakes in Nintendo, Capcom, and Koei Tecmo. Combined with EA’s portfolio of blockbuster franchises such as EA Sports FC, Battlefield, Apex Legends, and The Sims, the resulting entity would wield extraordinary influence across console, PC, and mobile gaming, as GameSpot reports.
However, the merger is unlikely to happen immediately. Savvy Games Group is currently in the process of acquiring Moonton, a major Chinese mobile game developer, in a separate deal worth $6 billion, and sources indicate that transaction would need to close before any consolidation with EA moves forward. No final decision has been made, and both EA and the PIF declined to comment on the reports. Notably, Savvy Games Group CEO Brian Ward recently stepped down from his position, a departure that Eurogamer notes now appears more significant in light of the merger discussions.
Any such deal would almost certainly face regulatory scrutiny around the world, given the sheer scale of gaming IP and market share that would be consolidated. Analysts have also speculated that combining the two entities could push EA further into mobile gaming, an area where Savvy’s holdings are particularly strong. The PIF holds a 93.4% stake in EA, with investment firms Silver Lake and Affinity Partners owning smaller shares.
The prospect of the merger has deepened existing anxieties among EA employees. Workers have expressed fears that the leveraged buyout’s heavy debt load — which EA must service from its own revenue — will lead to aggressive cost-cutting measures, including projected layoffs, studio closures, and game cancellations, with the company reportedly targeting $700 million in savings. Developers at studios like BioWare and the team behind The Sims have also voiced concerns that Saudi government ownership could discourage projects featuring inclusive storytelling and diverse characters, with one anonymous staffer telling Game Developer that certain games simply “won’t get signed” if they don’t align with the owners’ preferences.
The gaming industry will be watching closely as these discussions unfold. If the PIF ultimately decides to combine EA and Savvy Games Group, the resulting company would stand as a testament to Saudi Arabia’s ambitious — and controversial — push to become a dominant force in global entertainment.