Riyadh, Saudi Arabia — Saudi Arabia’s pursuit of significant investments in the gaming sector shows no signs of slowing down. Just as it works to finalize a high-profile takeover of Electronic Arts, the publisher behind the popular Battlefield franchise, the kingdom is reportedly setting its sights on another major player: Moonton, a gaming subsidiary of TikTok’s parent company ByteDance. The reported acquisition value for Moonton could reach as high as $7 billion.

Sources indicate that preliminary terms for the deal are nearly finalized, with an official announcement possible as early as March. ByteDance acquired Moonton for $4 billion in 2021, suggesting that Saudi Arabia’s Savvy Games Group is willing to pay a premium for the fast-growing gaming studio.

Moonton is perhaps best known for its massively popular multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) title, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, which has surpassed one billion downloads worldwide. In addition to this flagship game, Moonton has recently expanded its portfolio with titles like Magic Chess: Go Go, Silver and Blood, and Acecraft, a game that has drawn attention for its familiar art style and gameplay mechanics reminiscent of Cuphead. However, Acecraft has faced scrutiny, with some players likening it to a microtransaction-heavy platform rather than a traditional gaming experience.

In the broader context of mobile gaming, the prospective acquisition of Moonton would mark one of the ten largest deals in industry history. Over the past few years, Saudi Arabia’s gaming investment strategy has gained momentum, including the recent purchase of Scopely, known for Monopoly Go, for $4.9 billion, and the $3.5 billion acquisition of Niantic, the studio behind Pokémon Go.

While the Electronic Arts deal is substantial—set at $55 billion—it has attracted attention beyond just the financial realm. The acquisition is currently under scrutiny from labor unions and lawmakers in the United States, who are calling for regulatory reviews, particularly due to the sale of a prominent American entity to a foreign government.

Adding an intriguing layer to this narrative is the connection between the Saudi deal-making and U.S. political figures. Jared Kushner, son-in-law of former President Donald Trump, is rumored to have played a role in brokering the EA acquisition, raising concerns among politicians and stakeholders regarding foreign influence in American industries.

As Saudi Arabia continues to expand its footprint in the gaming world, the implications of these significant deals may extend beyond the entertainment industry, affecting global market dynamics and international relations.