New filings reveal how the US$55 billion deal breaks down and what it could mean for EA’s biggest games.
Electronic Arts are on track for one of the biggest corporate shifts the games industry has seen, with new filings confirming the scale of ownership if the proposed buyout is approved. For players following the company’s move to go private, the latest disclosures outline exactly how the US$55 billion transaction is divided among the three investors involved.
New filing outlines majority control
EA announced in October that it planned to go private through a US$55 billion leveraged buyout involving Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, Jared Kushner’s Affinity Partners and Silver Lake. At the time, no breakdown of ownership was provided. A new report from the Wall Street Journal, supported by a filing with Brazil’s antitrust regulator, now shows that the Public Investment Fund will take 93.4% of EA if the deal is cleared.
Silver Lake is set to hold 5.5%, while Affinity Partners will take 1.1%. The Public Investment Fund is also a “significant investor” in both firms. If approved by shareholders and regulators, the deal would place almost all ownership of EA under the Public Investment Fund.
According to the filing, US$36.4 billion of the total transaction will be funded through equity, with the remaining US$20 billion coming from debt. After accounting for the Public Investment Fund’s existing US$5.2 billion stake in EA, the fund has contributed “about US$29 billion” to complete the deal.
The buyout follows several years of investment activity from the Public Investment Fund across the global games market, including positions in Take Two, Capcom, Nexon and Nintendo.
EA CEO Andrew Wilson addressed the transition when the deal was first announced, stating that “values and our [EA’s] commitment to players and fans around the world remain unchanged”. The company continues to operate publicly while the buyout undergoes regulatory review in multiple regions.
The transaction remains subject to approval, and EA will stay listed until all required clearances are secured.
What this could mean for players
If the buyout is approved, EA would become a privately owned company with most decisions directed by the Public Investment Fund. This could influence how EA handles its biggest games, including live service titles such as Apex Legends, EA Sports FC and The Sims 4.
A private EA would not share updates on its business plans as openly, so players may get fewer early signals about long term support, delays or changes to major series like Battlefield . Future investment in updates, events and expansions would depend on the new ownership’s priorities.
EA CEO Andrew Wilson has said in October, that the company's “values and our commitment to players and fans around the world remain unchanged”, and no gameplay, service or release changes will occur unless the deal is approved. So for now, it's a matter of waiting and seeing where the company's direction goes once the deal is sealed.
