Electronic Arts, one of the biggest names in interactive entertainment, is officially going private. On Monday, the Redwood City–based publisher announced it has agreed to be acquired by a consortium led by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), Silver Lake, and Affinity Partners in an all-cash deal that values EA at roughly $55 billion.
The agreement calls for the consortium to acquire 100% of EA’s shares at $210 per share, a 25% premium over the company’s September 25 closing price and even higher than its all-time peak of $179 earlier this year. PIF — which already owns a 9.9% stake in EA — will roll over its holdings into the new ownership structure. Once the transaction closes, EA’s stock will no longer be publicly traded.
Pending regulatory and shareholder approvals, the deal is expected to close in Q1 of fiscal year 2027. Until then, EA will continue to operate as a publicly traded company.
EA’s Sale Is Already Causing Controversy
One of the biggest pain points when it comes to EA’s pending sale is who it’s being led by — the PIF, which is Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund. And while it has heavily invested in sports, esports, and gaming (including stakes in Nintendo, Activision Blizzard, and Embracer), its backing is seen by critics as an extension of “sportswashing.”
Beyond that, another group involved in the consortium is Affinity Partners, which is led by Jared Kushner, a former White House senior advisor and the son-in-law of the current United States President, Donald Trump. Kushner’s involvement adds another layer of scrutiny to the deal. Trump remains one of, if not the, most polarizing political figures in recent memory, and any business tie to his inner circle is bound to generate headlines. Affinity itself has already faced questions from lawmakers over its foreign funding sources (including the PIF), making this partnership especially fraught. For some, the concern isn’t just about EA’s ownership changing hands, but about one of gaming’s most influential publishers now being partly controlled by figures with deep political entanglements.
Within hours of EA’s pending acquisition being announced, the subreddit for Battlefield practically erupted. Due to Saudi Arabia’s less-than-stellar human rights track record, as well as Kushner’s involvement, many have speculated that EA’s new owners could pressure studios to curb LGBTQ representation or inclusive features. Many commenters are also bracing for private equity-style downsides: leveraged buyout debt, aggressive monetization/annualization (EA is already plenty guilty of this), and possible layoffs.
