Savvy Games Group CEO Brian Ward steps down

Brian Ward, the chief executive officer of Saudi Arabia's Savvy Games Group, is stepping down from the role he has held since the company's formation in 2021, according to an internal message to staff reviewed by Bloomberg News.bloomberg

"As Savvy embarks on its next period of transformational growth, this is the right time for new leadership for that evolution," Ward wrote in the memo sent on Tuesday. Turqi Alnowaiser, deputy governor of Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund and head of its International Investments Division, will serve as interim acting CEO until a permanent replacement is found.pocketgamer+4

A $38 Billion Bet on Gaming

Ward's tenure saw him oversee one of the most ambitious gaming investment programs ever undertaken. Savvy Games Group, the video game arm of the PIF, has roughly $38 billion earmarked for gaming investments. As of March 2026, around $13 billion of that commitment had been deployed.tradingview+2

Under Ward's leadership, Savvy completed its $4.9 billion acquisition of mobile game developer Scopely, whose title MONOPOLY GO! became a breakout hit. The company also acquired Pokémon GO developer Niantic and built a sprawling esports operation through ESL FACEIT Group, which operates the Esports World Cup in Saudi Arabia. Earlier this year, the PIF transferred roughly $12 billion in listed gaming shares — including stakes in Nintendo, Bandai Namco, Square Enix, and others — directly to Savvy, consolidating the kingdom's gaming portfolio under one entity.pocketgamer+2

Mixed Results and What Comes Next

Not all of Savvy's bets have paid off equally. Some of its esports investments have faced challenges, and the company has laid off staff as it reassessed parts of its competitive gaming exposure. Revenue from the PIF's gaming operations nonetheless doubled year-over-year, reaching approximately $4.2 billion in 2024.rft+2

Ward's departure comes as Savvy sits at a pivotal moment. Insider Gaming reported that the company is on the precipice of acquiring Electronic Arts, which would represent one of the largest deals in gaming history if completed. The leadership transition will test whether Savvy can maintain momentum in its drive to transform Saudi Arabia into a global gaming hub by 2030.pif+2