So the Saudis now own a bit of Capcom… or rather their Public Investment Fund owns a bit of Capcom, which adds to their list of video game stakes including EA, Nintendo, Activision/Blizzard, Take-Two, and others… and also they own SNK wholesale. That’s the controversial one because that apparently means Fatal Fury gets real-life soccer players and anus-relaxing DJs with funny accents as “guest” fighters. So does that mean we can’t enjoy Capcom games anymore because they’re partly owned by folks from a country who has a spotty history with human decency? Do we boycott them the same way we boycott SNK… or is it just business as usual?
My answer is… meh.
If this minor purchase in Capcom affects how they produce product going forward, there’s cause for concern. But the Saudis also own a bit of Nintendo and Nintendo, so far, does what Nintendoes. A few Saudi paws doesn’t spoil the whole thing. It’s not going to turn me away from Capcom’s future goods or Nintendo’s future goods, nor does it want me to disassociate from either brand. I recently picked up a copy of a King of Fighters combo pack for PS2… from SNK. Granted, that disc came out almost 25 years ago, but it’s still an SNK product… and SNK is owned by the Saudis.
Hell, WWE is in business with the Saudis for almost a decade now. They held the Rumble there. They’re holding Wrestlemania there next year. And yeah, I skipped the Saudi shows. Not because of their spotty history – though I did cook up the WWE Blood Money moniker after that whole mess with the reporter a few years back as well as CM Punk’s pointed comments on the matter long before he’d bend the knee… that’s what the kids call it, right?
Here’s the deal. If the Saudis owning a piece of Capcom doesn’t dissuade you from purchasing their products in the future, then it’s business as usual. In my mind, a company deserves your business if they deliver good product and you enjoy that product. Yes, there are shitty people running shitty businesses that occasionally put out good product and if you don’t mind buying these products, then none of this should matter. If you’d rather support a local business and buy their wares, that’s even better.
But then there’s the other group that’s going to make noise about this deal and to them, I say… whatever makes you sleep at night. I’m not going to tell you to feel the way you do. If you don’t want to support so-and-so for this reason or another that has nothing to do with the product they’re putting out, I’m not going to convince you otherwise, but I want to share a bit of nugget.
If your moral compass is such that you cannot support a company because of their ties with a questionable nation, then you own it to yourself to not only stop buying their products, but also get rid of all your products – games, accessories, etc – that came from that company because those are all tainted by association. Get rid of all your Street Fighter shit, burn all those Mega Man things in a dumpster fire, toss your Resident Evil, Monster Hunter, and Dino Crisis gimmicks in the trash. Rid yourself of all those things… yes, even that Chun Li blowup doll you sleep with. They’re all partial properties of the benevolent and progressive kingdom of Saudi Arabia, whom you hate and refuse to support.
So you’ve done that… but WAIT JUST A MINUTE, KING! Doesn’t the Saudis own a small piece of Nintendo too? Not a huge chunk, but just enough. Well, toss away all your Nintendo shit. All your consoles, all your games, all your Mario and Kirby dolls… that Zelda cosplay you’ve spent a fortune on putting together? BURN IT… and replace with a plain jane bodysuit that shows no skin because that’s the only way women can be represented in the benevolent and progressive kingdom of Saudi Arabia, whom you hate and refuse to support.
Oh… oh… but the Saudis also own a piece of Disney. The Magical, Wonderful world of Disney, who owns lots of your favorite franchises. Marvel, Star Wars, all that jazz… TOSS IT ALL THE FUCK OUT. Burn it. Destroy it. Get rid of all those toys, movies, T-shirts, cancel your Disney+ subscriptions, shred all your Marvel comics. GET RID OF FUCKING EVERYTHING because that’s all partially owned by the benevolent and progressive kingdom of Saudi Arabia, whom you hate and refuse to support.
Would you like me to continue?
Every country has its human rights controversies. Every country has its moral issues. There is not one country who is truly innocent in the way they treat their neighbors as well as their own citizens. Everyone has skeletons in their closets. EVERYONE. The ones who come across as truly good, wholesome folks do a far better job of hiding those skeletons better than those who eventually get caught. It is one thing to say that you don’t want to support something due to their association with so and so; it’s another thing to follow through. And even then, it becomes this strange butterfly effect of not wanting anything to do with so-and-so, but not realizing that so-and-so has more hands in more pots that you should probably get rid of.
Should we be concerned about this sort of thing? Sure, we can. Any change in ownership should be cause for concern, especially if it means change in how your favorite things are packaged and presented. But if you want to live life with a clear conscious and not have anything to do any corporation, then you should let go of all your earthly possessions, remove all your clothes, leave behind all your social media and electronics, and find yourself a nice rock to live under and shield yourself from those evil corporations owned by shady people with shadier moral compasses.
Except you can’t even do that because WWE currently lives under a Rock since 2024… and they have a deal to present shows – including next year’s Wrestlemania – at the benevolent and progressive kingdom of Saudi Arabia… whom you hate and refuse to support.
Or something.
I don’t know. Do what you want. Support them. Don’t support them. Move under a rock. I don’t care. If you don’t buy their products, someone else will. It’s the order of things, I suppose.
This has been a thing I wrote. We resume our regular funtime tomorrow.
dtm666 