EA Goes Private After $55 Billion Acquisition By Saudi Arabia’s PIF, Silver Lake & Affinity Partners

Electronic Arts has announced that it has entered an agreement to be purchased by the PIF (Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund), Silver Lake, and Affinity Partners for a staggering USD $55 billion.

The deal, which is expected to close in Q1 FY 2027, was confirmed earlier today, following a report last week from Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier. The company is most famous for its series of sports titles, The Sims, Battlefield, and for publishing BioWare’s Dragon Age and Mass Effect series.

Notably, the deal is made up of an equity investment of $36 billion dollars, with a $20 billion dollar debt in EA’s name. This, as Schreier puts it, could lead to layoffs, more monetisation, and cost-cutting measures.

Andrew Wilson, Chairman & CEO of Electronic Arts has shared this statement on the deal:

“Our creative and passionate teams at EA have delivered extraordinary experiences for hundreds of millions of fans, built some of the world’s most iconic IP, and created significant value for our business. This moment is a powerful recognition of their remarkable work.

Looking ahead, we will continue to push the boundaries of entertainment, sports, and technology, unlocking new opportunities. Together with our partners, we will create transformative experiences to inspire generations to come. I am more energized than ever about the future we are building.”

The PIF previously owned 9.9% of the company and was already the third-largest institutional owner of EA. As a reminder, the PIF owns stakes in Nintendo, Capcom, Embracer Group, and Take-Two Interactive.

Turqi Alnowaiser, the PIF’s Deputy Governor and Head of International Investments, says that “PIF has demonstrated a strong commitment to [global gaming and esports] sectors, and this partnership will help further drive EA’s long-term growth, while fueling innovation within the industry on a global scale.”

In terms of the other acquirers, Silver Lake is one of the companies potentially involved with TikTok’s US spin-off, while Affinity Partners is the investment firm founded by the current US President’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner.

Electronic Arts has announced that it has entered an agreement to be purchased by the PIF (Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund), Silver Lake, and Affinity Partners for a staggering USD $55 billion.

The deal, which is expected to close in Q1 FY 2027, was confirmed earlier today, following a report last week from Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier. The company is most famous for its series of sports titles, The Sims, Battlefield, and for publishing BioWare’s Dragon Age and Mass Effect series.

Notably, the deal is made up of an equity investment of $36 billion dollars, with a $20 billion dollar debt in EA’s name. This, as Schreier puts it, could lead to layoffs, more monetisation, and cost-cutting measures.

Andrew Wilson, Chairman & CEO of Electronic Arts has shared this statement on the deal:

“Our creative and passionate teams at EA have delivered extraordinary experiences for hundreds of millions of fans, built some of the world’s most iconic IP, and created significant value for our business. This moment is a powerful recognition of their remarkable work.

Looking ahead, we will continue to push the boundaries of entertainment, sports, and technology, unlocking new opportunities. Together with our partners, we will create transformative experiences to inspire generations to come. I am more energized than ever about the future we are building.”

The PIF previously owned 9.9% of the company and was already the third-largest institutional owner of EA. As a reminder, the PIF owns stakes in Nintendo, Capcom, Embracer Group, and Take-Two Interactive.

Turqi Alnowaiser, the PIF’s Deputy Governor and Head of International Investments, says that “PIF has demonstrated a strong commitment to [global gaming and esports] sectors, and this partnership will help further drive EA’s long-term growth, while fueling innovation within the industry on a global scale.”

In terms of the other acquirers, Silver Lake is one of the companies potentially involved with TikTok’s US spin-off, while Affinity Partners is the investment firm founded by the current US President’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner.