{"id":2025329,"date":"2026-07-03T14:59:25","date_gmt":"2026-07-03T11:59:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2025329"},"modified":"2026-07-03T14:59:25","modified_gmt":"2026-07-03T11:59:25","slug":"saudi-arabia-owned-scopely-continues-its-mobile-investment-spree-with-umamusame-pretty-derby-directors-new-company-studio-auknow","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2025329","title":{"rendered":"Saudi Arabia-owned Scopely continues its mobile investment spree with Umamusame: Pretty Derby director&#8217;s new company Studio AuKnow"},"content":{"rendered":"<article class=\"article \" data-ads=\"true\" data-article-type=\"news\" data-article-group=\"news\" data-paywalled=\"false\" data-premium=\"false\" data-sponsored=\"false\" data-type=\"article\">\n<header class=\"article_header\" data-component=\"article-header\">\n<div class=\"breadcrumbs\">\n<nav class=\"nav_breadcrumbs\" data-component=\"nav-breadcrumbs\" aria-label=\"Breadcrumb\">\n<ul class=\"nav-links\">\n<li>\n                <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/\" data-active=\"false\"><br \/>\n                      Home<br \/>\n                <\/a>\n            <\/li>\n<li>\n                <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/news\" data-active=\"false\"><br \/>\n                      News<br \/>\n                <\/a>\n            <\/li>\n<li>\n                <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/games\/uma-musume-pretty-derby\" data-active=\"false\"><br \/>\n                      Umamusume: Pretty Derby<br \/>\n                <\/a>\n            <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/nav><\/div>\n<div class=\"headline_details\" id=\"main-content\">\n<h1 class=\"title\">Saudi Arabia-owned Scopely continues its mobile investment spree with Umamusame: Pretty Derby director&#8217;s new company Studio AuKnow<\/h1>\n<p class=\"strapline\">Horsing around.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"headline_asset\">\n<figure class=\"headline_image_wrapper\">\n<p>        <img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"headline_image\" src=\"https:\/\/assetsio.gnwcdn.com\/screenshot-from-Umamusume-Pretty-Derby-showing-female-anime-characters-racing.jpg?width=570&amp;quality=85&amp;format=jpg&amp;dpr=3&amp;auto=webp\" alt=\"screenshot from Umamusume Pretty Derby showing female anime characters racing\" loading=\"eager\" data-uri=\"screenshot-from-Umamusume-Pretty-Derby-showing-female-anime-characters-racing.jpg\" data-lightbox width=\"570\" height=\"321\"><figcaption>\n          <span class=\"attribution\">Image credit: <cite>Cygames<\/cite><\/span><br \/>\n        <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"metadata\">\n<div class=\"avatar\">\n<p>    <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Connor Makar avatar\" src=\"https:\/\/assetsio.gnwcdn.com\/tAtwiaBo_400x400.jpg?width=2048&amp;height=2048&amp;fit=bounds&amp;quality=85&amp;format=jpg&amp;auto=webp\" style=\"aspect-ratio: 1\" width=\"374\" height=\"374\"><\/p>\n<p>  <img alt=\"Connor Makar avatar\" data-autosize=\"crop_lossy\" data-uri=\"tAtwiaBo_400x400.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" style=\"aspect-ratio: 1\" width=\"374\" height=\"374\">\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"text\">\n<div class=\"byline\">\n                  <span class=\"article_type\" data-slug=\"news\"><br \/>\n                    News<br \/>\n                  <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"by\">by<\/span> <span class=\"author\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/authors\/connor-makar\">Connor Makar<\/a><\/span>                    <span class=\"job_title\"><br \/>\n                      Staff Writer<br \/>\n                    <\/span>\n            <\/div>\n<div class=\"published_at\">\nPublished on <time datetime=\"2026-07-03T14:59:25+00:00\">July 3, 2026<\/time>              <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"mypop-header-wrapper\">\n<p><button class=\"mypop-button button wide\" data-state=\"follow\" data-type=\"tag\" data-uuid=\"d37340db-5bc8-45a3-aa78-8d9b427eb3d9\" data-name=\"Umamusume: Pretty Derby\" data-follow-text=\"Follow Umamusume: Pretty Derby\" data-unfollow-text=\"Following Umamusume: Pretty Derby\" data-aria-follow-text=\"Follow Umamusume: Pretty Derby\" data-aria-unfollow-text=\"Following Umamusume: Pretty Derby\" data-popup=\"true\" data-force-login=\"true\" aria-label=\"Follow Umamusume: Pretty Derby\" title=\"Follow Umamusume: Pretty Derby\"><br \/>\n  Follow Umamusume: Pretty Derby<br \/>\n<\/button>          <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"article_body\" data-component=\"article-content\">\n<div class=\"article_body_content article-styling\">\n<p>Mobile gaming giant Scopely has made a &#8220;strategic investment&#8221; into Studio Auknow, a new company formed by the former director of Umamusame: Pretty Derby.<\/p>\n<p>Announced <a href=\"https:\/\/prtimes.jp\/main\/html\/rd\/p\/000000001.000186130.html\">via a press release from Scopely<\/a>, this move has been made as part of the company&#8217;s continued &#8220;long-term investment in the Japanese market&#8221;. This comes relatively soon <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/pokemon-go-will-be-sold-to-monopoly-go-maker-scopely-niantic-confirms\">after Scopely bought up Niantic for $3.5bn in 2025<\/a>.<\/p>\n<figure>\n<div class=\"primis_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"primis_video\">\n<p><span class=\"embed_placeholder\" data-type=\"targeting\" style=\"display: none\"><br \/>\n<span class=\"message\">To see this content please enable targeting cookies.<\/span><br \/>\n<button class=\"optanon-show-settings link\"><br \/>\nManage cookie settings<\/button><\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption>Here&#8217;s the western launch trailer for Umamusame: Pretty Derby <a class=\"video\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=bZ6NL-oPEkI\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Watch on YouTube<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Studio AuKnow is home to a spread of experienced mobile game developers, according to this release. Founder Takuma Akitsu was the director of award-winning Umamusame: Pretty Derby, working on the game up until 2024 as the game surged into popularity. However, other staff present have experience on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/games\/pokemon-trading-card-game-pocket\">Pok\u00e9mon Pocket<\/a>, Onmyoji, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/final-fantasy-7-rebirth-guides-tips-tricks-9403\">Final Fantasy VII Rebirth<\/a>, Sonic World Adventure. Studio AuKnow is currently working on a new mobile IP, and is currently recruiting for a variety of roles.<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"injection_placeholder\" data-position=\"1\"><\/span><\/p>\n<p>Scopely is owned by the Savvy Games Group, a Saudi Arabian state-owned investment company which has made similar financial players in the games industry over the years. This particular investment is part of a wider push by Saudi Arabia Scopely to invest in the mobile gaming sphere, which should be little surprise considering the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.analysysmason.com\/consulting\/articles\/growth-mena-gaming\/\">surge in mobile gaming&#8217;s popularity in the MENA region<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Saudi Arabian investment efforts have been criticized by many humanitarian groups due to the country&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amnesty.org\/en\/location\/middle-east-and-north-africa\/middle-east\/saudi-arabia\/report-saudi-arabia\/\">poor human rights record<\/a>, with its fiscal outreach into a variety of industries &#8211; video games includes &#8211; described as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/eas-takeover-the-saudi-arabian-public-investment-fund-and-vanity-mega-projects-human-rights-watch-assesses-the-impact-of-gamings-latest-controversy\">an effort to wash its reputation for global tourism and investment<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"preferred-source\" data-component=\"preferred-source\">\nLove Eurogamer.net? Make us a <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/preferences\/source?q=https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\">Preferred Source on Google<\/a> and catch more of our coverage in your feeds.  <\/div>\n<\/article>\n<div class=\"article_body\" data-component=\"article-content\">\n<div class=\"article_body_content article-styling\">\n<p>Mobile gaming giant Scopely has made a &#8220;strategic investment&#8221; into Studio Auknow, a new company formed by the former director of Umamusame: Pretty Derby.<\/p>\n<p>Announced <a href=\"https:\/\/prtimes.jp\/main\/html\/rd\/p\/000000001.000186130.html\">via a press release from Scopely<\/a>, this move has been made as part of the company&#8217;s continued &#8220;long-term investment in the Japanese market&#8221;. This comes relatively soon <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/pokemon-go-will-be-sold-to-monopoly-go-maker-scopely-niantic-confirms\">after Scopely bought up Niantic for $3.5bn in 2025<\/a>.<\/p>\n<figure>\n<div class=\"primis_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"primis_video\">\n<p><span class=\"embed_placeholder\" data-type=\"targeting\" style=\"display: none\"><br \/>\n<span class=\"message\">To see this content please enable targeting cookies.<\/span><br \/>\n<button class=\"optanon-show-settings link\"><br \/>\nManage cookie settings<\/button><\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption>Here&#8217;s the western launch trailer for Umamusame: Pretty Derby <a class=\"video\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=bZ6NL-oPEkI\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Watch on YouTube<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Studio AuKnow is home to a spread of experienced mobile game developers, according to this release. Founder Takuma Akitsu was the director of award-winning Umamusame: Pretty Derby, working on the game up until 2024 as the game surged into popularity. However, other staff present have experience on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/games\/pokemon-trading-card-game-pocket\">Pok\u00e9mon Pocket<\/a>, Onmyoji, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/final-fantasy-7-rebirth-guides-tips-tricks-9403\">Final Fantasy VII Rebirth<\/a>, Sonic World Adventure. Studio AuKnow is currently working on a new mobile IP, and is currently recruiting for a variety of roles.<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"injection_placeholder\" data-position=\"1\"><\/span><\/p>\n<p>Scopely is owned by the Savvy Games Group, a Saudi Arabian state-owned investment company which has made similar financial players in the games industry over the years. This particular investment is part of a wider push by Saudi Arabia Scopely to invest in the mobile gaming sphere, which should be little surprise considering the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.analysysmason.com\/consulting\/articles\/growth-mena-gaming\/\">surge in mobile gaming&#8217;s popularity in the MENA region<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Saudi Arabian investment efforts have been criticized by many humanitarian groups due to the country&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amnesty.org\/en\/location\/middle-east-and-north-africa\/middle-east\/saudi-arabia\/report-saudi-arabia\/\">poor human rights record<\/a>, with its fiscal outreach into a variety of industries &#8211; video games includes &#8211; described as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/eas-takeover-the-saudi-arabian-public-investment-fund-and-vanity-mega-projects-human-rights-watch-assesses-the-impact-of-gamings-latest-controversy\">an effort to wash its reputation for global tourism and investment<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Home News Umamusume: Pretty Derby Saudi Arabia-owned Scopely continues its mobile investment spree with Umamusame: Pretty Derby director&#8217;s new company Studio AuKnow Horsing around. Image credit: Cygames News by Connor Makar Staff Writer Published on July 3, 2026 Follow Umamusume: Pretty Derby Mobile gaming giant Scopely has made a &#8220;strategic investment&#8221; into Studio Auknow, a [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[226,253],"class_list":["post-2025329","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-crawlmanager","tag-eurogamer-net"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2025329","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2025329"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2025329\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2025329"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2025329"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2025329"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}