Electronic Arts (EA), maker of The Sims, Madden NFL, Battlefield, EA Sports FC, Mass Effect, and Dragon Age, was acquired by a consortium led by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) for $55 billion on August 4, 2026, taking the company private after 36 years as a publicly traded entity [1, 2, 3, 4]. The acquisition ended EA's listing on the Nasdaq stock exchange [1, 3].
The consortium includes Saudi Arabia's PIF, which holds a majority stake of approximately 93.4%, private equity firm Silver Lake Partners, and Affinity Partners, led by Jared Kushner, son-in-law of former U.S. President Donald Trump [1, 5, 6, 3, 4]. The deal was financed with $36 billion in equity and $20 billion in debt, primarily sourced from JPMorgan, marking the largest leveraged buyout ever [5, 7, 3, 4].
EA CEO Andrew Wilson will remain with the company, which is headquartered in Redwood City, California [1, 8, 3]. Wilson said the deal "recognizes the extraordinary people whose creativity, ambition and passion have made EA one of the world's leading interactive entertainment companies," and pledged to "invest boldly, accelerate innovation, and build the next generation of games and experiences" [8]. Jared Kushner added, "EA has created stories, characters, and communities that have become part of everyday life for hundreds of millions of people" and expressed excitement to support the company’s growth [1].
The acquisition sparked concerns over possible layoffs and studio closures due to the heavy $20 billion debt load. Some analysts warned that the debt could drive EA to focus only on its most profitable titles, potentially leading to job cuts or selling off intellectual properties [7]. However, others noted there was no clear indication layoffs would definitely happen following the acquisition [1, 8]. EA reduced its workforce by about 5% in 2024 and implemented additional cuts in 2025, amid industry restructuring [1, 6].
There are ongoing worries about how Saudi Arabia's conservative laws might affect EA’s creative freedom, particularly regarding LGBTQ+ content. Critics flag the potential for censorship on diversity and inclusivity. The Sims development team, however, stated they have heard no orders to limit diversity and would resist such changes, while EA’s CEO said company values will remain unchanged under new ownership [5, 6, 9, 4].
EA reported annual revenues around $7.46 billion in 2025 but faces challenges from competition and revenue stagnation, with recent quarterly results falling short of expectations [1, 4]. The consortium and EA have emphasized plans to invest in artificial intelligence and innovative technologies to drive future growth and improve game development [8, 2, 10, 6].
EA’s most recent fiscal quarter ended June 30, 2026, with a profit of $387 million after expenses and taxes [3]. The consortium now takes full control of EA’s operations and strategy following this closing.
