Like many Eastern European companies, SayGames has had a tumultuous time with the war in Ukraine. But SayGames has achieved four billion downloads for its hypercasual games, and its My Perfect Hotel hybrid casual game has hit the top ranks of mobile gaming.
Savvy Games Group’s strategy to become a force in gaming | Brian Ward interview
09.09.2023 - 16:05 / venturebeat.com
We're thrilled to announce the return of GamesBeat Next, hosted in San Francisco this October, where we will explore the theme of «Playing the Edge.» Apply to speak here and learn more about sponsorship opportunities here. At the event, we will also announce 25 top game startups as the 2024 Game Changers. Apply or nominate today!
Brian Ward, CEO of Savvy Games Group, has taken the lead in helping Saudi Arabia’s attempt to move beyond its reputation for human rights abuses and being an oil nation to being a visionary technology leader bankrolling the game industry.
This tension between the past and the future is ever-present in Saudi Arabia, where companies like Savvy Games Group — owned by the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia — are trying to change perceptions through games while remaining cognizant of the kingdom’s appetite for measured change. Ward believes people have to see the change happening in society on the ground in Saudi Arabia in order to understand how quickly things can happen under the new regime that is mostly supportive of the game industry. There is perhaps no other country where the clash between tradition and modernity — something my world history talked about so long ago — is so stark.
The change and the deals have been happening at a dizzying rate. It’s like a big game of Monopoly, and the playing board of the game industry is set up on a global scale.
Savvy Games Group acquired Los Angeles-based mobile game publisher Scopely for $4.9 billion in April, and it bought a $1 billion stake in Sweden-based game publisher Embracer Group. It also acquired ESL Gaming and FaceIt in esports to create ESL FaceIt Group. And the Saudis have also bought stakes in Capcom, Nexon and Nintendo this year, building on stakes it acquired previously in Activision Blizzard, Take-Two Interactive and Electronic Arts. That has made the gaming world take notice.
Savvy’s big stakeholder, the Public Investment Fund (run by the Saudi Arabian government) is flush with cash from the oil boom and it has set aside $37.8 billion to build up Saudi Arabia’s presence in the global games industry – with $13.3 billion of that earmarked for acquiring a major publisher. That’s more money than anyone around the world is earmarking for gaming investments and acquisitions.
It’s a sign that the government is serious about weaning the country from oil. The Saudi Vision 2030 is a government program launched by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to diversify economically, socially and culturally, in line with the vision of bin Salman. The Saudis announced it in 2016, but the country remained about 74% dependent on oil exports as of 2021. The country understands that the oil economy could dry up in the next 27 years, and it has to
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venturebeat.com
23.09.2023 / 16:31
How Manga Productions is bringing manga, anime and games to the Middle East | CEO interview
We're thrilled to announce the return of GamesBeat Next, hosted in San Francisco this October, where we will explore the theme of «Playing the Edge.» Apply to speak here and learn more about sponsorship opportunities here. At the event, we will also announce 25 top game startups as the 2024 Game Changers. Apply or nominate today!
venturebeat.com
21.09.2023 / 17:31
How Wargaming survived 25 years — and dealt with the Ukraine War | Victor Kislyi interview
We're thrilled to announce the return of GamesBeat Next, hosted in San Francisco this October, where we will explore the theme of «Playing the Edge.» Apply to speak here and learn more about sponsorship opportunities here. At the event, we will also announce 25 top game startups as the 2024 Game Changers. Apply or nominate today!
rockpapershotgun.com
20.09.2023 / 18:25
Embracer lays off devs at Mythforce studio, just days after the release of its cartoony co-op FPS
Less than 18 months after it acquired Baldur’s Gate: Enhanced Edition and Mythforce developers Beamdog, Embracer Group has reportedly laid off more than two dozen staff at the studio. Mere days after the release of its nostalgic co-op shooter, no less.
eurogamer.net
20.09.2023 / 10:27
Embracer makes new round of layoffs, this time at Mythforce developer Beamdog
Embracer has made a new round of layoffs, this time at Mythforce developer Beamdog less than 18 months after its acquisition.
venturebeat.com
19.09.2023 / 17:11
How Wooga is staying focused on story-based gaming | Nai Chang interview
We're thrilled to announce the return of GamesBeat Next, hosted in San Francisco this October, where we will explore the theme of «Playing the Edge.» Apply to speak here and learn more about sponsorship opportunities here. At the event, we will also announce 25 top game startups as the 2024 Game Changers. Apply or nominate today!
pcgamesn.com
15.09.2023 / 10:50
Free PC game – avert disaster in this high-stakes strategy game
If you love free PC games, and you think you’ve got a cool head under pressure, then 911 Operator is here to test your mettle. The stressful strategy game places you in the shoes of an emergency service operator, tasking you with responding to calls for firefighters, police, and ambulances and dispatching your crews appropriately and efficiently. 911 Operator aims to capture one of the world’s most high-stakes jobs, and it can be yours for free if you’re quick.
venturebeat.com
14.09.2023 / 14:17
Blind Squirrel Games rebrands to mark its growth in gaming
We're thrilled to announce the return of GamesBeat Next, hosted in San Francisco this October, where we will explore the theme of «Playing the Edge.» Apply to speak here and learn more about sponsorship opportunities here. At the event, we will also announce 25 top game startups as the 2024 Game Changers. Apply or nominate today!
venturebeat.com
14.09.2023 / 14:17
HP Spectre is a foldable PC that becomes a laptop, tablet or desktop
We're thrilled to announce the return of GamesBeat Next, hosted in San Francisco this October, where we will explore the theme of «Playing the Edge.» Apply to speak here and learn more about sponsorship opportunities here. At the event, we will also announce 25 top game startups as the 2024 Game Changers. Apply or nominate today!
venturebeat.com
13.09.2023 / 14:27
Rascal Games raises $4.2M to create shared world adventure game
We're thrilled to announce the return of GamesBeat Next, hosted in San Francisco this October, where we will explore the theme of «Playing the Edge.» Apply to speak here and learn more about sponsorship opportunities here. At the event, we will also announce 25 top game startups as the 2024 Game Changers. Apply or nominate today!
venturebeat.com
12.09.2023 / 10:05
ESA hires new top lobbyist to represent gaming to U.S. politicians
We're thrilled to announce the return of GamesBeat Next, hosted in San Francisco this October, where we will explore the theme of «Playing the Edge.» Apply to speak here and learn more about sponsorship opportunities here. At the event, we will also announce 25 top game startups as the 2024 Game Changers. Apply or nominate today!
venturebeat.com
11.09.2023 / 17:05
GamePhilos raises $8M for mobile strategy game Age of Dino
We're thrilled to announce the return of GamesBeat Next, hosted in San Francisco this October, where we will explore the theme of «Playing the Edge.» Apply to speak here and learn more about sponsorship opportunities here. At the event, we will also announce 25 top game startups as the 2024 Game Changers. Apply or nominate today!