I wonder what they’ll do with IPs like The Sims. I can’t imagine they’ll allow same-sex relationships, naturally, but I don’t think they’ll allow divorce, either. :S
I suspect that they’d be more hands off than you may expect (if they chose to keep that IP at all). The sovereign wealth fund is first and foremost interested in growing their investment value. And this has only been further cemented as MBS has continued to stripped wahabists of power to the point that they have almost no state involvement anymore.
Why? Literally why would they give a shit? This only makes sense if you assume that they spent billions of dollars to export religious conservativism outside of Saudi Arabia. I dunno if you’ve noticed, but Saudi Arabia has been spending trillions of dollars to present a totally different, modern image to the world. The people spending the money don’t actually give a shit about Allah. They only care what other people will submit to in Allah’s name, and they know that’s not going to fly outside their borders.
Saudi Arabia is a country with one of the strictest laws in the world. Why shouldn’t anyone be suspicious of what they say or do? Why can’t people have a healthy amount of distrust and skepticism of their actions if, as you said, they’re trying to portray a different image of themselves to the world? Who says the mask can’t come off under the right circumstances, like the shameless right-wing downturn of the US?
The Sims IP has always been one of the most welcoming and famous platforms for non-traditional values that directly contradict their country’s principles. Because I don’t know if you know, but homosexuality in Saudi Arabia is currently punishable by death. It’s fair to imagine that some company-wide policy changes would take place when it’s acquired to align with its own views, which also align with the Trump administration’s crusade to eliminate liberal ideas. I mean, didn’t they recently bribe him with a luxury jet? Don’t you think they could have a broader joint interest at heart?
If franchises like Call of Duty have been targets of military marketing, it doesn’t take much to imagine how a corporation from an authoritarian country like SA would at least attempt to rein in social values in The Sims if given the chance.
Okay, but why? The hypothesis that they bought an extremely successful business because they want to make money doesn’t need any further explanation. What is the motivation for them to try to export their strict laws to other countries? You act like it gives them so much personal joy at taking away our gay kissing, that’s reason enough.
No, not laws, but religious views and values. That’s what their laws reflect. Religious people are famous for trying to proselytize, convert, and meddle because they have a very fundamental belief that they’re dealing with larger forces of good and evil.
gives them so much personal joy at taking away our gay kissing
Again, please don’t reduce my argument to absurdity. That is not a productive or respectful way of making your point.
I wonder what they’ll do with IPs like The Sims. I can’t imagine they’ll allow same-sex relationships, naturally, but I don’t think they’ll allow divorce, either. :S
Doesn’t matter, other games will replace them. Like InZoi.
Same happened with Rollercoaster Tycoon (Planet Coaster), SimCity (Cities Skylines)
Yeah, I have those games, but I want to know what direction they’ll take. I want to know how bold they would be if they wanted to.
They might just sell the IP. I imagine they are mostly interested in the sports franchises.
soccer, WWE, maybe UFC in the future is where all the money is at.
I suspect that they’d be more hands off than you may expect (if they chose to keep that IP at all). The sovereign wealth fund is first and foremost interested in growing their investment value. And this has only been further cemented as MBS has continued to stripped wahabists of power to the point that they have almost no state involvement anymore.
Why? Literally why would they give a shit? This only makes sense if you assume that they spent billions of dollars to export religious conservativism outside of Saudi Arabia. I dunno if you’ve noticed, but Saudi Arabia has been spending trillions of dollars to present a totally different, modern image to the world. The people spending the money don’t actually give a shit about Allah. They only care what other people will submit to in Allah’s name, and they know that’s not going to fly outside their borders.
Saudi Arabia is a country with one of the strictest laws in the world. Why shouldn’t anyone be suspicious of what they say or do? Why can’t people have a healthy amount of distrust and skepticism of their actions if, as you said, they’re trying to portray a different image of themselves to the world? Who says the mask can’t come off under the right circumstances, like the shameless right-wing downturn of the US?
The Sims IP has always been one of the most welcoming and famous platforms for non-traditional values that directly contradict their country’s principles. Because I don’t know if you know, but homosexuality in Saudi Arabia is currently punishable by death. It’s fair to imagine that some company-wide policy changes would take place when it’s acquired to align with its own views, which also align with the Trump administration’s crusade to eliminate liberal ideas. I mean, didn’t they recently bribe him with a luxury jet? Don’t you think they could have a broader joint interest at heart?
If franchises like Call of Duty have been targets of military marketing, it doesn’t take much to imagine how a corporation from an authoritarian country like SA would at least attempt to rein in social values in The Sims if given the chance.
Okay, but why? The hypothesis that they bought an extremely successful business because they want to make money doesn’t need any further explanation. What is the motivation for them to try to export their strict laws to other countries? You act like it gives them so much personal joy at taking away our gay kissing, that’s reason enough.
No, not laws, but religious views and values. That’s what their laws reflect. Religious people are famous for trying to proselytize, convert, and meddle because they have a very fundamental belief that they’re dealing with larger forces of good and evil.
Again, please don’t reduce my argument to absurdity. That is not a productive or respectful way of making your point.