Report: Savvy Games Group CEO Brian Ward departs company

Bryant Francis,Senior Editor,GameDeveloper.com

September 1, 2026

2 Min ReadImage via Savvy Games Group

Saudi Arabian video game conglomerate Savvy Games Group appears to be experiencing a change in leadership. That's according to a report from Bloomberg News, which states that CEO Brian Ward is stepping down from his position.

Ward apparently announced the news to Savvy employees in a message stating that it is "the right time for new leadership" as it "embarks on its next period of transformational growth." He is apparently being temporarily replaced by Turqi Alnowaiser, deputy governor of Savvy Game Group's parent organization: the government-owned Saudi Arabia Public Investment fund (PIF). Alnowaiser also is the head of the PIF's international investments division.

Ward became CEO of Savvy Games Group in 2021 and oversaw a $37.8 billion spree of international investments and acquisitions in game companies large and small. During his time as CEO, Savvy acquired significant stakes in companies like Embracer Group, Take-Two Entertainment, and Nintendo. Its most significant acquisitions include its $4.9 billion purchase of mobile developer Scopely and its $3.5 billion acquisition of Pokémon Go developer Niantic.

As those investments progressed, industry professionals expressed growing concern about the PIF's ownership of Savvy, which links the conglomerate to the Saudi government. Those concerns were echoed by members of the US Congress after the PIF led a joint $55 billion buyout of Battlefield and The Sims developer Electronic Arts (EA) that did not directly involve Savvy itself.

However, the buyout of EA may be driving difficult questions inside Savvy Games Group. Sources speaking to Bloomberg say the purchase of EA has raised concern over "how the two giant Saudi-owned video-game businesses will be run."

It isn't clear if this concern played any role in Ward's departure.

Top StoriesPIF

About the Author

Bryant Francis

Senior Editor, GameDeveloper.com

Bryant Francis is a writer, journalist, and narrative designer based in Boston, MA. He currently writes for Game Developer, a leading B2B publication for the video game industry. His credits include Proxy Studios' 4X strategy game Zephon, Iron Anchor Studios' Down With The Ship, and Amplitude Studio's 2017 game Endless Space 2.

See more from Bryant Francis