• The 2023 Annual Report reflects Savvy’s commitment to transparency and serves as a tool for engaging and updating Savvy’s diverse stakeholders.

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – Savvy Games Group (Savvy), the leading games and esports company wholly owned by the Public Investment Fund (PIF), has published its first-ever Annual Report for 2023.  The report showcases the company’s significant progress in 2023, offering stakeholders insights into its operations, milestones, and strategic initiatives.

The Annual Report outlines the progress made in implementing Savvy’s strategy, which was launched by His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Crown Prince, and Chairman of the Board of Savvy Games Group, in September 2022.

The publication of this inaugural Annual Report reflects Savvy’s commitment to transparency and serves as a tool for engaging and updating Savvy’s diverse stakeholders, including commercial partners, employees, and the wider global games and esports community.

HRH Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Sultan Al Saud, Vice Chairman of Savvy Games Group, said: “Savvy’s extraordinary success has great significance for Saudi Arabia. We are at the forefront of realizing the Kingdom’s vision to become a global hub for games and esports by 2030.  As the National Champion for Games and Esports, Savvy’s aim is to become a global leader across the entire games and esports ecosystem, and to support the ambitions of the next generation of games professionals, entrepreneurs, players, and fans.”

Brian Ward, CEO of Savvy Games Group, added: “2023 was a transformative year for Savvy.  Our investments and initiatives have expanded our global footprint and contributed to exciting developments within the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and added significant shareholder value.  I would like to extend my gratitude to our Chairman for his wise counsel and leadership and our shareholder, the PIF, for their unwavering support and guidance.  This has enabled our exceptional Business Unit leaders to deliver tangible progress against our strategy, supported by the extraordinary efforts of the Savvy team.  We have the right team, the right people, and the right governance structures and systems, and this gives me great confidence in our ability to accelerate our work and deliver on our strategy throughout 2024 and beyond.”

The release of Savvy’s Annual Report is a milestone that reflects the company’s evolution into a globally recognized leader in the games and esports industry.  This report serves as a key resource for understanding Savvy’s trajectory, offering detailed insights into how the company is shaping the future of games and esports both in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and internationally.

Key achievements outlined in Savvy’s 2023 Annual Report:

  • Games Development and Publishing: Savvy established itself as a leader in games development and publishing in 2023, including the US$4.9 billion acquisition of Scopely.  This acquisition has positioned Savvy as the top mobile games publisher in the US and fourth globally, outside of China.  The report highlights key milestones in this area, such as the successful rebranding of Savvy Games Studios to Steer Studios, and the launch of “MONOPOLY GO!” which set new records in the mobile games space.
  • Esports: The report highlights the success of ESL FACEIT Group (EFG), through which Savvy is driving the development of world-class esports experiences.  Additionally, Savvy’s strategic investments in VSPO and the acquisition of Vindex by EFG have bolstered Savvy’s leadership in the global esports market, with a current estimated 40% share of the global esports industry.
  • Domestic Ecosystem Development: A central theme of the report is Savvy’s role in delivering Saudi Arabia’s National Gaming and Esports Strategy (NGES).  As the National Champion for Games and Esports, Savvy is among the entities responsible for positioning the Kingdom as a major global hub for the games industry.
  • Expansion of Workforce and Leadership: The report details the expansion of Savvy’s workforce to over 3,500 employees across 22 countries and highlights the company’s investment in building an experienced Executive Leadership Team.  With key hires in finance, strategy, legal, human resources, and communications, Savvy has strengthened its governance structures, facilitating robust oversight and strategic execution.

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About Savvy Games Group (“Savvy”)

Savvy Games Group (“Savvy”) is the leading games and esports company founded to drive the long-term growth and development of esports and the wider games industry worldwide.  Savvy was set up, and is 100% owned, by the PIF.  As a global champion of the sector, Savvy will become a global leader in games and esports through deploying significant capital over the long-term.  As Saudi Arabia’s National Champion for Games and Esports, Savvy is dedicated to supporting the thriving local community and driving the sector’s development in the Kingdom.

Savvy Games Group website – www.savvygames.com

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