Esports Growth
Tag: Saudi Arabia
Funding News
NEOM selects five studios for funding in expanded Level Up accelerator
Best Of 2025
Isa Muhammad's top stories of 2025: Saudi Arabia’s $55bn EA bid, Roblox growth, Netflix’s Warner Bros gamble, and more
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Marvellous Mena
Level Up expands into game publishing with Level Up Gaming
The publisher has already signed four games, with projects originating from the US, Finland, and Saudi Arabia
Acqusitions
EA shareholders approve $55bn sale to a consortium led by Saudi Arabia’s PIF
Following the acquisition, the PIF will own 93.4% of Electronic Arts, taking the company private after more than 40 years
Funding News
Qwacks secures $480,000 to advance game development and live ops technology
Investment will accelerate plans to scale its platform and expand across Saudi Arabia and the wider region
Marvellous Mena
Steer Studios CEO Yannick Theler on Tom and Jerry Blast, building talent, and next year's ambitions
"I think AI will continue to be an important part of the conversation in the new year. It is nothing new in one sense, but AI is here to stay"
New Offerings
Gamez Quest launches to deliver premium Arabic localisation for global publishers
The studio provides localisation services across PC, console, mobile and VR
Acqusitions
Saudi Arabia’s PIF set to own 93.4% of EA in proposed takeover
The transaction is expected to close within six to nine months
New Partnerships
Savvy Games Group and King Saud University team up to develop future talent for Saudi Arabia's games and esports sector
The MoU creates a framework for joint initiatives in skill development, knowledge exchange, and industry exposure
Possible Acqusition
Report: ByteDance is exploring the sale of Moonton to Savvy Games Group
The talks revive a previously paused plan to offload the Mobile Legends maker
Ambition Check
Saudi Arabia’s PIF reportedly short on fresh capital for new investments
Insiders say much of the fund’s wealth is tied up in illiquid megaprojects like Neom
Marvellous Mena
Exel by Merak welcomes 19 startups for Cohort 2 accelerator
Cohort 2 spans mobile, PC, and console projects with completion set for February 2026
Marvellous Mena
DaFluffs Games founder on leveraging early funding to scale global mobile games
“We see a huge appetite for games that feel global but carry subtle local touches”
Buyout Concerns
CWA urges federal review of $55bn PIF-led EA buyout
CWA President Claude Cummings Jr warned the deal could harm workers, consumers, and the wider US games industry
New Offerings
Saudi Arabia launches Riyadh Season-themed entertainment experiences on Roblox
Developed with UGC creator The Gang, the experience brings Boulevard City and Boulevard World to life in Roblox
Marvellous Mena
HYS Games CEO Husam Suwaid on growing beyond mobile and pursuing triple-A creativity
"We’re pursuing our lifelong passion by developing our first large-scale flagship title for PC and console"
Marvellous Mena
Copa Fantasy CEO Abdullah Eid on building MENA’s football super-app for global fans
“We’ve created a platform that feels culturally relevant while also appealing to global audiences”
Behind The Curtain
Who are EA's new owners?
A look at Saudi Arabia's PIF, Jared Kushner's Affinity Partners, and Unity investor Silver Lake
Game Jam
Saudi Arabia launches the second edition of the Saudi Game Champions Program
Each startup will receive $53,000, mentorship from global experts, and training support
New Partnerships
Savvy Games Group signs MoU with Alinma Bank to deliver tailored banking solutions for Saudi gamers
The partnership aligns with Saudi Vision 2030 and the National Gaming and Esports Strategy
Marvellous Mena
Saudi-based Superbullet Studios aims to let anyone build Roblox games in three days
Founder Erickson Talaue and team are developing EvoLife as both a flagship Roblox game and proof of its AI workflow
Marvellous Mena
Merak Capital on investor expectations and taking MENA game studios global
"A common mistake we see is founders focusing entirely on the game’s creative vision without tying it to the commercial side"
Funding News
HYS Games raises $300k to accelerate development on upcoming flagship title
The project is described as a daring double-A game with triple-A ambition
Funding News
Evolite Studio secures $300k to accelerate development of its next game Noor
Noor is a top-down action game rooted in Arabian mythology
Funding News
Symmetric Studio secures $300k to grow debut title Valley of Fog
The game blends dungeon crawling with city building in a hybrid casual experience
Strategic Move
Savvy eyes multibillion-dollar deals in China and Asia amid US-China tensions
Currently ranked 8th globally, Savvy is pushing to climb the publishing charts
Acqusitions
Qiddiya acquires Evo operator RTS to expand its role in global esports
The acquisition supports Evo’s vision for original content and deeper live event experiences
Funding News
Classy Games raises $300k to fuel growth and accelerate development of SillySuspects
Funding will also support team expansion and community-building initiatives
Hot Five
Hot Five: Uma Musume: Pretty Derby’s overseas victory, Destiny: Rising’s mobile launch, and India's games companies hit by real-money ban
Our quick-fix roundup of the hottest stories on PocketGamer.biz
Marvellous Mena
Saudi Arabia’s games market projected to reach $1.64bn by 2028
Savvy Games Group's 2024 annual report shows the MENA region generated $5.62bn in 2024 and is estimated to reach $6.94bn in 2027
New Partnerships
Merak Capital signs MoU with HP to boost Saudi Arabia’s games and esports economy
Partnership to deliver events, workshops, and mentorship to build a sustainable talent pipeline
New Partnerships
Saudi Esports Federation and Merak Capital sign MoU to accelerate Saudi Arabia’s games and esports sector
Partnership expands training, certification, and global collaboration while attracting international studios
Funding News
Superbullet Studios secures $300k to scale Roblox game development
Funding will fuel marketing for flagship title SuperbulletAI, production scaling, and team expansion
Marvellous Mena
Yalla Group joins the $1bn Arab companies club with a $1.23bn valuation
The Dubai-based firm is the only gaming and social platform on the billion-dollar list
Funding News
DaFluffs Games raises $300k to accelerate work on debut title Dungeon Blast
The Saudi startup will use the funding to expand its team and scale development
New Partnerships
Savvy Games Group signs MoU with Al Jouf’s strategic office to develop games and esports
Savvy and JSDO will co-organise events to attract gamers and esports fans to the region
Funding News
Sheba Joy raises $293,000 in pre-seed funding to scale operations from Saudi Arabia
Funding will expand production, attract top talent, and drive development of new titles
Investment News
Impact46 invests over $53m in Saudi games studio Kammelna
The studio is best known for bringing the Kingdom’s iconic card game Baloot to mobile
Funding News
Spoilz raises fresh funding to expand its development and live ops capabilities
Investment will fuel globally competitive mobile games and attract top Saudi talent.
Winners Revealed
Savvy Games Group and HP conclude GameOn GameJam with winning teams revealed
Winners to join Savvy Academy’s three-month Incubator Program in collaboration with Xsolla
Investment News
Impact46 invests $6.7m in five Saudi game studios
Investments align with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 and National Gaming Strategy
Studio Closure
Sandsoft shuts down Riyadh and Barcelona studios
The Saudi mobile company moves to double down on publishing
Marvellous Mena
MENA-3 games market set to reach $2.8bn by 2029
A Niko Partners report found that the region had 72 million gamers at the end of 2024
Expansions
Side signs deal with Savvy Games Group to open Riyadh office
Firm plans to not only support Savvy’s initiatives but also launch its own training programmes in Saudi Arabia
Esports World Cup
Esports World Cup 2025 begins in Riyadh with record $70m prize pool
Of the prize pool, $27m will be spread across the top 16 clubs while this year’s winner will earn $7m
Annivasery
“We're not just building games, we're building habits”
UMX Studio CEO Ali Alharbi on the developer's 11th anniversary, studio growth, Jetapult funding and lessons learned
New Office
Savvy Games Group opens first permanent HQ in Riyadh
New HQ now houses both Steer Studios and Mirai, bringing them under one roof
Accelerator Program
Saudi Arabia’s NEOM to welcome 10 studios for largest Level Up accelerator cohort
Initiative designed for teams that have developed a minimum viable product or a vertical slice of their game
Game Jam
Savvy Games Group and HP launch climate-themed Game Jam in Saudi Arabia
The top three teams will then join the Savvy Incubator program in September