Electronic Arts Acquired for $55B: Saudi Arabia, Silver Lake & Affinity Partners Take EA Private

Electronic Arts has officially been taken private in a landmark $55 billion acquisition, completing a deal that was first announced back in September 2025. The purchasing consortium is led by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) and also includes private equity giant Silver Lake and Affinity Partners, the firm run by Jared Kushner. The deal ranks as one of the largest acquisitions in gaming history, and it marks a dramatic shift for EA, which had previously been a publicly traded company on the stock market.

The closure of the deal means that iconic franchises including The Sims, Battlefield, Dragon Age, Madden NFL, and the EA Sports lineup are now under the ownership of the consortium. Industry observers have noted significant uncertainty about what private ownership means for the publisher going forward. With the scrutiny of public shareholders removed, the new owners will have considerably more latitude over strategic decisions, including potential studio restructuring, layoffs, or shifts in game development priorities, leading some outlets to warn that the road ahead could be painful for both employees and players.

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