Savvy Games Group and NEOM have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to clear the runway for video game startups in Saudi Arabia.
The two organizations said the move will help video game startups shift from "incubation to acceleration" with the ultimate aim of advancing the goals of the National Gaming and Esports Strategy under Saudi Vision 2030.
The MoU formalizes a coordinated approach between Savvy's Nine66 incubator program and NEOM's 'Level Up' accelerator. It will purportedly ensure that startups graduating from Nine66 will have the training, resources, and support required to progress seamlessly into NEOM's accelerator.
"This Savvy-NEOM collaboration builds upon the rapid evolution of both programs and shall ultimately support a stronger pipeline of investable gaming studios," reads a press release.
"Savvy’s Nine66 Incubator Program has helped early-stage studios validate prototypes, build foundational capabilities, and prepare for investor engagement. Through this initiative, Savvy aims to help startups achieve readiness to move into the subsequent stages of development and scaling."
NEOM is a state-backed 'giga-project' with the remit of diversifying Saudi Arabia's economy through a range of initiatives, including the development of a sustainable megacity. This week, Financial Times reported that Saudi Arabia is now scaling back the project.
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Savvy Games Group chief of staff, Amr Sager, said the game industry is growing at a "rapid pace" within Saudi Arabia. In order to maintain that momentum, Sager said it's vital to provide emerging studios with the support required to build, run, and scale.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has a keen interest in the video game industry. Savvy Games, for instance, is owned by the Saudi state-backed wealth fund, PIF. That's the very same PIF that has invested in numerous video game companies—such as Nintendo and Take-Two Interactive—and is currently attempting to take EA private alongside a consortium of investors.
Last week, U.S. lawmakers called on the FTC to scrutinize the EA buyout—which could result in PIF holding a 93.4 percent stake in the Battlefield publisher.
PIF, which is chaired by Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman, transferred around $12 billion worth of gaming shares to Savvy Games Group earlier this month (via Bloomberg).
Under the ownership of PIF, Savvy also purchased Pokemon Go and the bulk of developer Niantic's video game business through its Scopely subsidiary in March 2025.
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Saudi Arabia's ongoing investment into the game industry has raised eyebrows, with advocacy group Human Rights Watch suggesting PIF has "facilitated and benefited from human rights abuses" taking place in the region under the stewardship of bin Salman.
Bin Salman himself has also been linked to the 2018 murder of Washington Post journalist, Jamal Khashoggi, and was still facing questions over the killing as recently as November 2025 (via The BBC).
