Investors in US publishing giant Electronic Arts have backed the company's acquisition by a consortium that includes the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund.
Bloomberg reports this. that the $55 billion deal has been approved by shareholders, who are set to receive $210 for each share of the company they own. Before the consortium announced its intention to acquire Electronic Arts, the company's shares were trading at $174.04; The publisher's share price closed at $203.79 last night.
In September a consortium of investors consisting of PIF, Silver Lake Capital and Affinity Partners has announced its plan to buy EA. This is the largest private investment in history and is expected to close in the first quarter of the company's fiscal year 2027, by June 30, 2026.
“Our creative and passionate teams at EA have delivered incredible experiences to hundreds of millions of fans, created some of the world's most iconic IP, and created significant value for our business,” EA CEO Andrew Wilson said at the time.
“Looking to the future, we will continue to push the boundaries of entertainment, sports and technology, opening up new possibilities.
“Together with our partners, we will create transformative experiences that will inspire future generations. I am more energized than ever about the future we are building.”
Now that shareholders have approved the deal, it must undergo regulatory approval. The fact that Affinity Partners was founded by Jared Kushner, son-in-law of US President Donald Trump, may speed up this process, at least in the United States.
Once the deal is closed, PIF will own 93.4% of Electronic Artsalthough the Saudi Sovereign Wealth Fund also holds “significant” stakes in both Silver Lake and Affinity Partners, meaning that in effect the Public Investment Fund will effectively own the US publisher outright.
Andrew Wilson intends to remain as CEO of the company and insisted that EA's values will not change once it has a new owner. In a memo to employees, the executive said the company's “mission, values and commitment to players and fans around the world remain unchanged,” adding that “EA will retain creative control and our track record of creative freedom and player-centric values will remain intact.”
