EA really wants you to believe that its $55 billion sale to private investors will not affect the way the publisher operates. In a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, EA already asserted that the buyout will have no immediate effects on its workforce. In a new, updated Frequently Asked Questions document for EA employees, EA states the following:
“EA will maintain creative control and our track record of creative freedom and player-first values will remain intact.”
The document also states that EA will retain its cultural values of creativity and that the Consortium is supportive of investing in its existing employees. More importantly, the document emphasizes that EA games rely on world-class teams, and there will be no immediate layoffs as a result of the transaction. EA expects the acquisition to be completed in the next six to nine months.
What Else We Learned From EA’s Internal FAQ
In case you’re interested in more of the inside baseball over at EA, the document emphasizes that there will be no changes to its management structure or headquarters in Redwood City. The current CEO, Andrew Wilson, will remain in charge, and the publisher insists that its mission and creative principles will remain intact.
Interestingly, EA also states that with the longer investment horizon, they’ll have even better operational flexibility and will continue to take bold, creative bets. This could be true, as EA might be able to move faster on major initiatives without the pressure of quarterly earnings reports.
Financially, EA stressed that it is not in distress and expects no layoffs or pay cuts, with all current compensation and benefits programs continuing as planned. In fact, employees with unvested RSUs will see them converted to cash awards at the premium buyout price of $210 per share. The company will also continue to create “growth pathways” for its teams.
All of this is corporate talk for now, and there will be even more industry skepticism towards EA until this deal closes. But EA has given assurances in writing, so there will always be receipts in case it doesn’t live up to its word.
