5% Capcom Acquired by Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia
We are in the midst of a high-revenue takeover in the gaming industry, alongside major investments. A lot of headlines have followed Tencent’s growing investments in game companies, but today the focus is on Saudi Arabia’s ‘Public Investment Fund’ (PIF), which recently spent about $1 billion for shares of the two businesses.
The larger portion was spent on 5% Nexon, a Korean company with hugely successful online games. The more notable investment from a Nintendo/console perspective, however, is the PIF’s purchase of 5% of Capcom, according to Bloomberg worth about $332 million at current stock prices. They have been described as ‘pure investment’ moves, as opposed to a precursor to a takeover; Time will tell on that, but for now, it’s a modest stake.
Saudi Arabia’s public investment fund also has a high stake in Activision Blizzard (currently awaiting Microsoft takeover) EA and Take-Twoand has made a lot of headlines in the sport thanks to its purchase of a controlling stake in Newcastle United FC in the UK.
The latter takeover has been a source of controversy and delay due to criticism of Saudi Arabia’s human rights record, and notably The murder of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi.