Games Done Quick abruptly canceled SNK stream due to ties with Saudi Arabia
Games Done Quick (GDQ) canceled a speedrunning showcase with SNK mid-stream during its summer charity event that benefited Doctors Without Borders. Following concerns brought up
Games Done Quick (GDQ) canceled a speedrunning showcase with SNK mid-stream during its summer charity event that benefited Doctors Without Borders. Following concerns brought up by the community about the video game company's ties to Saudi Arabian government, GDQ cut short the Metal Slug showcase in the middle of a run and posted an explanation on social media a few hours later. Despite the hiccup, the Summer Games Done Quick event raised more than $2.4 million for Doctors Without Borders.
"We have heard the concerns from our community regarding this partnership, specifically the company's majority ownership by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, and the human rights concerns tied to the Saudi government," GDQ posted on Bluesky. The organization added that it would not accept funds or work with SNK in the future and that it "will review and strengthen our process for evaluating future sponsors and partners, including closer examination of companies' ownership, to make sure they're aligned with our values." While SNK is a Japanese game developer and publisher, the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia Mohammed bin Salman's nonprofit organization called the Misk Foundation owns a majority stake of the video game company through its gaming subsidiary Electronic Gaming Development Company.
The Misk Foundation's gaming division also owns a five percent stake in Capcom. Many gamers have also been concerned about Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, which is chaired by bin Salman, and its recent investments into the
video game industry. The country's sovereign wealth fund owns a similar five percent stake in Capcom, but made major waves last year when it joined two private equity firms to make a $55 billion acquisition of Electronic Arts.
The BriefWire