Saudi Crown Prince Again Heavily Invests in Capcom

Saudi Arabia's influence in the video game industry is expanding as the Electronic Gaming Development Company (EGDC), a Saudi investment firm, acquires a significant stake in Capcom, the Japanese publisher behind franchises like Resident Evil, Monster Hunter, and Street Fighter. According to GameBiz, and subsequently reported by Automaton and Insider Gaming, EGDC purchased 26,788,500 Capcom shares, representing a 5.03% stake. A report submitted to the Kanto Financial Director on March 13 indicates that EGDC intends this acquisition as a pure investment, aiming to profit through share price increases and dividend payments. EGDC, owned by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman through his MiSK Foundation, previously acquired 100% of SNK Corporation, the studio behind Fatal Fury and The King of Fighters. This acquisition supplements, rather than replaces, a prior investment. In 2022, the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia (PIF) acquired a separate stake of over 5% in Capcom as part of a $1.2 billion deal involving Nexon. Consequently, Saudi Arabia, through its various state entities, now controls over 10% of the Resident Evil publisher.

Saudi Arabia's Expansion in Gaming Industry with Electronic Arts and Moonton Acquisitions

These financial operations underscore Saudi Arabia's ambition to become a major player in the interactive entertainment sector. Furthermore, according to reports, the Saudi Public Investment Fund is pursuing a deal to acquire more than half of Electronic Arts (EA). There are also reports that Saudi Arabia's Savvy Group may acquire Moonton, the creators of Mobile Legends. This recent investment in Capcom follows reports of a $55 billion deal for the Saudi sovereign wealth fund to fully acquire Electronic Arts (EA), with that deal expected to close soon, marking a significant expansion of Saudi Arabia's footprint in the gaming industry.

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