Electronic Arts' $55 billion acquisition by a consortium led by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) has officially closed, the company announced over the weekend. Silver Lake and Affinity Partners, an investment firm established by U.S. President Donald Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, complete the investor group, with PIF holding a 93.4% stake. EA is now a private company and no longer publicly traded.
According to PC Gamer, the transaction represents the largest leveraged buyout in commercial history. EA took on $18 billion in debt to close the deal, which translates to approximately $1.8 billion in annual interest payments. CEO Andrew Wilson stated in an official press release that the company enters this "next chapter from a position of strength" with partners aligned with its vision.
However, outlets including Polygon and GameSpot warn that the debt burden could trigger significant cost-cutting. Mass layoffs, studio closures, and game cancellations are concerns being raised, though EA has not officially confirmed any such moves yet.
Shams Jorjani, CEO of Arrowhead Game Studios (maker of Helldivers 2), expressed worry to GamesRadar+ that the consolidation under new ownership could turn the portfolio into "a sequel-and-mega-franchise machine," potentially reducing the creative diversity that has long defined EA. The publisher controls franchises including The Sims, Battlefield, Mass Effect, and Dragon Age.
