Brian Ward, the CEO of Saudi Arabia's state-owned Savvy Games Group, has stepped down from his position. During his leadership, Ward oversaw approximately $38 billion in investments across various gaming companies, notably including Niantic, the developer of Pokémon Go, and Scopely, known for Monopoly Go.
In a message to staff, Ward stated that his departure comes as Savvy Games Group enters a new phase of growth, necessitating new leadership for its evolution. Turqi Alnowaiser, deputy governor of the Public Investment Fund (PIF) and head of its International Investments Division, will serve as interim CEO. This leadership change follows Saudi Arabia's recent $55 billion leveraged buyout of Electronic Arts, the largest acquisition of its kind in the industry's history. Sources indicate that this substantial EA acquisition has raised internal concerns within Savvy regarding the operational coordination between the two large Saudi-owned gaming entities.
Ward's tenure at Savvy included significant financial commitments. In 2025, the company invested $3.5 billion in Niantic, following the success of Pokémon Go. Earlier, Savvy allocated $4.9 billion to Scopely. The group also made considerable investments in the esports sector, an area that has yet to yield substantial profits and has largely served as a promotional platform for Saudi Arabia through events like the Esports World Cup. The most recent iteration of this event was relocated from Riyadh to Paris due to regional turbulence.
Industry analysts suggest Ward's efforts yielded a balanced approach to investment. George Osborn, author of "Power Play" and a writer on the games industry, commented that Ward “done a good job in a tough brief.” Osborn characterized Savvy's strategy as striking a sensible balance between value-generating acquisitions and ecosystem development, citing the Scopely purchase as a key success and the decision to withdraw investment from Embracer at an opportune moment as evidence of discipline. Ward successfully built a substantial portfolio for the Saudi state, though the future integrity of this portfolio remains uncertain.
Osborn also highlighted Savvy Games Group's unique position relative to other Saudi ventures in the gaming sector. He noted its lack of the global market clout enjoyed by EA and the economic power of the PIF, which has allowed a PIF deputy governor to oversee Savvy. Furthermore, Savvy operates within a costly strategic framework at a time when the Saudi state is reportedly exercising greater financial restraint. Osborn speculated that Savvy's future direction might involve a concentrated focus on the domestic Saudi sector, integration under EA, or a reintegration into the PIF as part of its Vision 2030 initiative. Regardless of the outcome, Osborn credited Ward with playing a significant role in establishing the current Saudi gaming landscape.