Saudia Arabia's Public Investment Fund Purchases a $1 Billion Stake in Embracer Group

MBS strikes again with another investment.

At least it isn’t Tencent.

I would prefer MBS over Tencent anytime.

Yuck. That's all.

Well that’s just horrifying in every conceivable way. They’re buying stakes in games companies the same way they did with sports in order to distract from the brutal human rights violations going on in their country. Why care about journalists being dismembered and gay men being executed when Newcastle United get a big budget signing or two and a new Tomb Raider is funded?

Okay take that billion and make 5 deus ex games, 3 tomb raider games, and 2 legacy of kain games.

@lolwhatno They want to make the country into a big entertainment destination for tourism, gaming and esports are big growths so they invest money in gaming indestry

@nessisonett Yep, it's the whole sportswashing thing but with videogames.

It is concerning that countries with such onerous restrictions on basic freedoms within their country look to take control of companies who are essentially platforms for cultural expression. I don’t like to take a moral stance on the individual cultures within countries, but when companies in charge of international output come under the control of states that have dramatically different values to their target audience, you start to get the feeling any change they’ll look to make is akin to attempts at cultural colonisation.

And, yes, I know in this case they have not taken a controlling stake, but they often do.

So companies get gobbled up by bigger companies which get gobbled up via investments. How much of that money is going to trickle down to the people actually making the games? I think we all know the answer to that one...

Wow!!! Just how big is Embracaer?
Wonder if they'll throw 500 my way 🤔

@lolwhatno SNK is Saudi property too, the country don't want to depend on oil only, the oil industry will die in 20 years.
But am not supporting anything what they purchase, I won't be complece for women discrimination in that country and human right doesn't exist there.

Saudi money. Yuck. Greed isn't always good.

It's just money. Stop politics or be honest and look at the multiple backwards laws that are forced on the US people regarding trans rights, abortus and tons of other minorities before you point at another country that has those same laws.

@Tielo Ah yes, I forgot how in the USA you could be punished by death by the government for a same-sex kiss. Or look at this list below - remember all those crucifixions the US government does?

Its annoying in football, but thoroughly depressing for the gaming industry.

Can't watch golf with putting money in their pockets.

Can't watch the premier league without funding their atrocities.

Can't play video games without backing their medieval discrimination.

I'm not sure how the world gets out of it now. Beholden to them for oil for decades, now as that industry dies they are just buying everything else.

Tragic.

Well that's disappointing. I love Tomb Raider but this will definitely be on my mind when choosing to buy the next one or not. However living a perfect moral economic life in this day and age is essentially impossible. It's a difficult situation for sure.

Hot take: a lot of game companies that make our most played franchises today are from countries that have been the most responsible for wars and sanctions that cause millions of deaths anyway so if you never had problems with those, especially since a lot of these games actually GLORIFY these acts (looking at you CoD games), then I don't see why I should join the chorus of denunciations here even though I'm not particularly positively disposed towards MBS myself. All I care is that good games are being made and the developers are treated well, and I don't have to fork out large amounts of money.

@anoyonmus Anything's better than being associated with biggest warmongering countries in the West.

@SweetSummerShunv Except those companies in the West aren’t publicly owned. They’re private companies not associated with the state in any way. Tencent and the PIF are intrinsically linked to states with atrocious human rights records.

@nessisonett The distinctions aren't always that clear, and extensive involvement by the military and the intel agencies in entertainment and vice versa has always been documented.

@nessisonett I like how dude is comparing us to China and the saudis. He should go take a vacation to either of these places, I know it would mean leaving his basement though

@SweetSummerShunv that’s sarcasm right?

I'm just glad at least now there's hope for soul reaver remake (and other old games) with embracer buying all the developers

The Saudi Arabian government, like, sucks bro

@Tielo WHAT ABOUT, WHAT ABOUT, WHAT ABOUT, WHAT ABOUT!

Face it, there is absolutely no comparison and if the majority of the world had a choice between living in the US, Saudi or China you'd know the vast majority would live in USA.

@nessisonett Dont be silly human rights are not that important compared to soccer and games. Topgun was used for propaganda by China removed Taiwan from the movie. Yeah the world is in a terrible state. The rich are getting more money the poor less, hunger, the environment is getting destroyed, war what a time to live in.

@lolwhatno Just keep religion away to get rid of war and hate. If there is a God then we are screwed anyway.

Well, this will save me money in the long run! I'm not giving them a single penny.

Wow, look at this new deal they made that saves me so much money. If they make something I am interested in, I guess I will just sail the high seas.

Comments full of total misinformation bigotry and pure racism.. Congratulations.

@lolwhatno Good for us the religious people didnt have that advanced weapons or we would have been wiped out ages ago.

@nessisonett I agree... it kind of makes me sad thst as a gay man who enjoys video games, that no matter what platform I play on, or basically what company I choose to buy games from I am stuck supporting a backwards country like this.

Doesn't matter if it's Nintendo or embracer, or multiple other companies... the Saudi regime has their hands in basically everything at this point.

@lolwhatno I am atheist my friend.