It's been a big year for Capcomand Saudi-based Electronic Gaming Development Company (EGDC) buys a large share of the company. Capcom is still fresh off the release of its latest hit, Resident Evil Requiembut the company has more titles, such as Pragmatics and Onimusha: Path of the Swordscheduled for the rest of 2026.
Resident Evil Requiem was one of the first major releases of the year, and it's already proven to be a huge success for Capcom, with the new entry in the beloved zombie action franchise breaking franchise sales records. Resident Evil Requiems sales figures have reached an impressive 6 million copies in less than a month. Such a strong start to the year is good news for Capcom, and EGDC seems to have taken note of these numbers.
EGDC has bought a 5.03% stake in Capcom, according to a report by Japanese news outlet GameBiz. A report was submitted to the Kanto Local Finance Bureau on March 13, confirming the stake claimed by EGDC in the company. This means that EGDC owns approximately 26,788,500 of Capcom's shares. Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman owns EGDC through his Misk Foundation, a non-profit organization established in 2011 that has been dedicated to focusing on topics such as education, media and culture.
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This isn't EGDC's first foray into gaming either. Already in 2022, EGDC bought 33.3% of SNK Corporation, owner of game franchises such as Fatal Fury, The King of Fightersand Metal Slug. By 2022, EGDC had managed to acquire 96.18% of SNK Corporation. It is important to note that EGDC is not the same Saudi investment firm as the Public Investment Fund (PIF) that has invested in EA. Saudi Arabia's investment in games has been on the rise recently, and Capcom is unlikely to be the last major publisher and developer that companies like EGDC and PIF buy into.
The latest deal between EA and PIF was one of last year's biggest gaming stories
EGDC's 5.03% stake in Capcom is significant, but PIF's purchase of EA turned a lot of heads last year. The deal is worth an estimated $55 billion, making it one of the largest corporate acquisitions in gaming history. If the deal does go through, Saudi Arabia would own the majority of EA at around 93.4%. The transaction is expected to close around Q1 2027, but it is also subject to regulatory approval.
Many of PIF's gaming investments are owned directly through the company's subsidiary, Savvy Games Group.
PIF also owns a 5% stake in Capcom. The company bought into the company back in 2022. Since PIF has already invested in major gaming companies such as Nintendo, Embracer Group and Take-Two Interactive, it will be interesting to see if EGDC decides to buy stakes in these companies down the road as well. There has been much controversy surrounding Saudi Arabia's investments, particularly with allegations that the PIF is responsible for human rights abuses.
As the year continues, it will be interesting to see if either EGDC or PIF buys into more gambling companies. Despite problems such as large layoffs and canceled games, the industry has continued to grow rapidly. The Covid-19 pandemic was a wrench in the making, but many developers and publishers have managed to bounce back from it. Now that Sony and Microsoft are discussing next-generation consoles, such as the latter's Project Helix, and looking to the future, investment firms like PIF and EGDC will be watching the industry even more closely.
Source: GameBiz
