Electronic Arts (EA) is privatized for $ 55 billion, which is one of the biggest transactions in the history of games. Buyers include the Saudi sovereign fund of wealth PIF, Affinity Partners Jared Kushner and Silver Lake.
EA confirmed the absorption on September 29, 2025 in Press releaseThe shareholders will receive 210 US dollars per share, which is a 25 percent prize to the current price of shares (before rumors).
The transaction concluded in the capital of 36 billion dollars (including the 9.9 percent share of PIF) and a loan of $ 20 billion from JP Morgan – will be completed in early 2027 after the approval of shareholders and regulatory authorities. This is the most expensive ransom for all the time and the second largest game deal after the acquisition of Microsoft Activision Blizzard for $ 69 billion.
EA is known for game franchises like FIFAIN Madden NFLIN The battlefieldIN SimsAnd Need for speed– is under pressure after the closure of the studio and dismissal. Privatization allows longer development cycles without pressure on the stock market, explains DiversityThe field director Andrew Wilson remains, as well as the headquarters in Redwood -City, California.
Saudis and Trump are binded in the background
PIF, led by the Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, diversify Saudi Arabia outside of oil. The Fund owns stakes in Nintendo, Activision Blizzard and Take-Two, and bought ESL, Faceit and Scoply. “PIF is ideal for managing games and e -sports,” said the Turks Anoma, Deputy Governor of PIF.
Jared Kushner, son-in-law President Trump and General Director of Affinity Partners, added: “EA creates cult impressions, I am excited by the future.” Silver Lake investment company, with investments in Unity and Dell, completes the consortium.
This transaction is a source of contradictions for many, although. Severe human rights violations in Saudi Arabia (for example, the murder of the Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi) and the financing of PIF Kushner ($ 2 billion) cause debates. Nevertheless, the Saudi Vision 2030 is engaged in investments in games, as the main point mainly.
Consequences for EA and industry
For EA, privatization means freedom to continue longer development cycles for games such as FIFA And The battlefield Without quarterly pressure. After reducing expenses with hundreds of dismissal last year, this transaction may bring stability. Indeed, the industry is consolidated with Tencent, interested in UBISoft and PIF (9.4 percent in EA since 2021, plus 55 percent more since 2023) form the market.
The transaction must overcome regulatory obstacles, including in-depth reviews due to participation in Saudi Arabia. At least for customers, nothing will change until 2027. EA remains a giant, only now in private hands.
For investors and fans, this can be an important milestone that makes games more global. However, since the EA should be burdened by debts of $ 20 billion, industry experts expect savings, restructuring and, possibly, further reduction of jobs.
This article initially appeared on our nursing publication PC-valt And he was translated and localized from the German language.
