This has been a really important year capcomSaudi-based Electronic Gaming Development Company (EGDC) is purchasing a significant portion of the company's stock. Capcom is still releasing its latest hits. Resident Evil RequiemBut there are many more job titles in the company, such as: pragmata and Onimusha: Path of the SwordIt is scheduled for the remainder of 2026.
Resident Evil Requiem was one of the first major releases of the year and has already proven to be a huge success for Capcom, with the new entry in the beloved zombie action series breaking franchise sales records. Resident Evil RequiemSales volume exceeded 6 million copies in less than a month. Such a strong start to the year is good news for Capcom, and EGDC appears to have taken note of these numbers.
According to a report by Japanese news outlet GameBiz, EGDC purchased a 5.03% stake in Capcom. On March 13, a report was submitted to the Kanto Regional Finance Bureau confirming EGDC's claimed stake in the company. This means that EGDC owns approximately 26,788,500 shares of Capcom stock. Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman is the owner of EGDC through his Misk Foundation, a non-profit organization founded in 2011 that aims to focus on topics such as education, media and culture.
Rearranges covers into correct US release order.
start
Rearranges covers into correct US release order.
Easy (5)Medium (7)Difficult (10)
This isn't even EGDC's first step into gaming. In 2022, EGDC acquired a 33.3% stake in SNK Corporation, owner of the following gaming franchises: fatal anger, The King of Fightersand metal slug. By 2022, EGDC acquired a 96.18% stake in SNK Corporation. It is important to note that EGDC is not the same Saudi Arabian investment company as the Public Investment Fund (PIF), which invested in EA. Saudi Arabia's investment in gaming has been on the rise recently, and Capcom is unlikely to be the last major publisher and developer to be acquired by companies like EGDC and PIF.
The recent deal between EA and PIF was one of the biggest gaming stories of last year.
While EGDC's acquisition of Capcom for a 5.03% stake is significant, PIF's acquisition of EA last year attracted a lot of attention. The deal is valued at approximately $55 billion, making it one of the largest corporate acquisitions in gaming history. If the deal actually goes through, Saudi Arabia will own the majority of EA, approximately 93.4%. The transaction is expected to close around the first quarter of 2027, subject to regulatory approval.
Many of PIF's gaming investments are held directly through the company's subsidiary, Savvy Games Group.
PIF also owns a 5% stake in Capcom. The company acquired the company in 2022. With PIF already investing in major gaming companies such as Nintendo, Embracer Group, and Take-Two Interactive, it will be interesting to see if EGDC decides to purchase stakes in these companies in the future as well. There has been much controversy surrounding Saudi Arabia's investments, particularly accusations that the PIF is responsible for human rights abuses.
As the year continues, it will be interesting to see whether EGDC or PIF acquire more gaming companies. Despite challenges such as mass layoffs and game cancellations, the industry has continued to grow rapidly. The COVID-19 pandemic has thrown work in progress, but many developers and publishers have managed to bounce back from it. Now that Sony and Microsoft are discussing next-generation consoles like the latter's Project Helix and looking to the future, investment firms like PIF and EGDC will be watching the industry more closely.
Source: GameBiz
