Resident Evil Requiem hit 6 million sales in its first couple of weeks, becoming the fastest that a title in the series has reached this milestone. The success underscores Capcom's grip on the horror genre and positions the publisher as one of gaming's most reliable revenue generators. Yet the real story isn't just commercial. Saudi Arabia, currently in the process of gobbling up Electronic Arts, just grabbed a 5 percent stake in the Resident Evil maker.
The move is strategically calculated. The Saudi investment firm Misk Foundation, using its Electronic Gaming Development Company (EGDC) branch, has acquired a significant number of shares in Capcom. The firm, owned by Saudi Arabian Crown Price Mohammed Bin Salman, now owns a 5.03% stake in Capcom after acquiring 26,788,500 shares. This is not the kingdom's first purchase; the new stake is in addition to the existing 5 percent stake that the Saudi Public Investment Fund previously purchased. Together, the two entities now control roughly 10% of the Japanese publisher.
The structure matters. By splitting the investment between EGDC and the Public Investment Fund, Saudi Arabia is using the same playbook that secured control of SNK. The PIF also holds a 5% stake in Capcom, essentially giving the Crown Prince a 10% stake overall. This is a similar tactic to how the Saudi's gained control of SNK, which was by utilizing two different companies to increase shares before doing a takeover. The company insists the Capcom stake is "pure investment," but the pattern suggests something more ambitious.
Saudi Arabia's gaming strategy extends far beyond Capcom. Savvy Games Group, an investment vehicle led by former Activision exec Brian Ward, has acquired high-profile companies like Scopely (Monopoly Go) and Niantic (Pokemon Go). More significantly, the PIF's purchase of EA is worth an estimated $55 billion, making it one of the biggest company acquisitions in gaming history. If the deal actually goes through, Saudi Arabia would own the majority of EA with around 93.4%. The transaction is expected to close around Q1 2027.
The underlying ambition is less about profit than influence. Through EA, Saudi Arabia is seeking to transform itself from an energy exporter into a cultural one, projecting wealth, values, and presence directly onto screens around the world. Gaming, unlike traditional media, reaches billions of young people globally and shapes their leisure time, identity, and purchasing habits. It's a form of cultural power that oil wealth alone cannot buy.
The timing raises questions
The Capcom investment arrives at a sensitive moment. Saudi Arabia's expansion into gaming investments is as much about acquiring cultural capital and soft power as anything else, which makes the recent war launched by the U.S. and Israel against Iran a test case for the Kingdom mixing business and geopolitics. The escalation in the Middle East threatens to disrupt the region's economic stability and has already pushed oil prices higher, which paradoxically benefits Saudi Arabia's financing capacity but undercuts its image as a stable investment destination.
There's also the regulatory question. Despite calls for more regulatory scrutiny, a friendly Trump administration seems unlikely to do anything but rubber-stamp the current EA deal. Yet Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, along with other democracies, will be watching how far a state actor can consolidate control over major cultural industries. The Capcom stake, modest by itself, signals Saudi Arabia's confidence that regulatory barriers remain low enough to permit accumulation.
For Capcom shareholders and players, the immediate outlook is stable. Capcom plans to implement several measures, such as ongoing support and additional game content, so players can continue to enjoy the title longer. But the long-term trajectory is less certain. Control, once accumulated, has a way of reshaping companies from within.