Electronic Arts (EA) is being privatized for $55 billion, one of the biggest deals in gaming history. The buyers include Saudi sovereign wealth fund PIF, Jared Kushner’s Affinity Partners, and Silver Lake.
EA confirmed the takeover on September 29th, 2025 in a press release. Shareholders will receive $210 per share, a 25 percent premium to the current share price (before the rumors).
The deal—financed with $36 billion in equity (including PIF’s 9.9 percent stake) and a $20 billion loan from J.P. Morgan—is expected to be completed in early 2027 following shareholder and regulatory approval. It’s the most expensive leveraged buyout of all time and the second largest gaming deal ever, after Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision-Blizzard for $69 billion.
EA—known for game franchises like FIFA, Madden NFL, Battlefield, The Sims, and Need for Speed—is under pressure following studio closures and layoffs. Privatization allows for longer development cycles without stock market pressures, explains Variety. CEO Andrew Wilson remains, as do the headquarters in Redwood City, CA.
Saudis and Trump connections in the background
The PIF, headed by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, diversifies Saudi Arabia beyond oil. The fund holds stakes in Nintendo, Activision-Blizzard, and Take-Two, and has bought ESL, FACEIT, and Scopely. “PIF is ideally positioned to drive gaming and esports,” said Turqi Alnowaiser, PIF’s deputy governor.
Jared Kushner, son-in-law to President Trump and CEO of Affinity Partners, added: “EA creates iconic experiences—I’m excited about the future.” The investment company Silver Lake, with investments in Unity and Dell, rounds off the consortium.
This deal is a source of controversy for many, though. Saudi Arabia’s severe human rights violations (e.g., the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi) and Kushner’s PIF financing ($2 billion) are fueling debate. Nevertheless, Saudi Vision 2030 is driving gaming investments, with an eye on the 2025 Esports World Cup as the highlight.
Implications for EA and the industry
For EA, privatization means freedom to pursue longer development cycles for games like FIFA and Battlefield without quarterly pressures. After cutting costs with hundreds of layoffs last year, this deal could bring stability. Indeed, the industry is consolidating with Tencent interested in Ubisoft and PIF’s activities (9.4 percent in EA since 2021, plus 55 percent more since 2023) are shaping the market.
The deal must overcome regulatory hurdles, including in-depth reviews due to Saudi participation. Nothing will change for customers until 2027 at least. EA remains a giant, just now in private hands.
For investors and fans, it could be a significant milestone that makes gaming more global. However, as EA has to bear the repayment burden for $20 billion in debt, industry experts expect savings, restructuring, and possibly further job cuts.
This article originally appeared on our sister publication PC-WELT and was translated and localized from German.
