Riyadh: The influence of Gulf countries, especially Saudi Arabia, is growing in the global video game market, which is expected to reach $600 billion in the next five years.
According to Anadolu Agency, the market reached around $300 billion in 2024 and has grown to $337 billion in 2025 so far, based on data from Grand View Horizon. Saudi Arabia has been making significant investments in large video game companies through its sovereign wealth fund, the Public Investment Fund (PIF), as well as ventures directly linked to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman launched the National Gaming and Esports Strategy (NGES) in 2022, emphasizing the gaming sector as a key component of the country's Vision 2030 economic diversification plan. One of Saudi Arabia's major investments was in Electronic Arts (EA), known for developing popular games such as The Sims, Battlefield, and FC. Saudi Arabia acquired EA for $55 billion through a consortium, with the Saudi sovereign wealth fund being its largest investor. This purchase is noted as the largest sale following Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard, makers of World of Warcraft and Call of Duty, for $68.7 billion.
Saudi Arabia had previously made moves to bolster its presence in the global gaming scene. Savvy Games Group, established under the PIF in 2022, embarked on significant ventures, particularly in e-sports. The group acquired Los Angeles-based Scopely for $4.9 billion, following its major purchase of two prominent e-sports organizations, ESL and FaceIt, for $1.5 billion.
The gaming festival Gamers8, which began in Riyadh in 2022, has placed Saudi Arabia on the international e-sports calendar. The 2023 edition of the eight-week event offered a total prize pool of $45 million, setting a new milestone in e-sports history.
Saudi Arabia's efforts to acquire a larger share in the global gaming industry are aimed at the country's young population. Research indicates that a significant percentage of people in Saudi Arabia, between 67% and 89%, regularly play video games, with an impressive 48% of Saudi women identifying as gamers, as reported by the law firm Bird and Bird.