EA officially begins a new chapter under new ownership.
After months of discussions and preparations, Electronic Arts’ massive US$55 billion acquisition by Saudi-backed investors PIF, Silver Lake, and Affinity Partners, has been finalised. The announcement was made by EA in a press release published on the official website on Tuesday (4 August).
"This moment recognizes the extraordinary people whose creativity, ambition and passion have made EA one of the world's leading interactive entertainment companies," Andrew Wilson, Chairman & CEO of Electronic Arts said. He also said that the company is “entering this next chapter from a position of strength” with partners who “share our vision and ambition.”
“Together, we'll invest boldly, accelerate innovation, and build the next generation of games and experiences for the hundreds of millions of players and fans who inspire us every day," he added.
As part of the completed acquisition, EA shareholders will receive US$210 in cash for every common share they held when the deal closed. EA's stock has since ceased trading and is set to be delisted from the NASDAQ.
Who owns EA after the Saudi-backed acquisition?
EA's transition to private ownership has been months in the making. In October 2025, EA announced its plans 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. Then, in December 2025, EA shareholders approved the acquisition.
With the deal now complete, the consortium's ownership structure has also been confirmed. According to a report from the Wall Street Journal, citing a filing with Brazil's antitrust regulator, PIF holds 93.4% of the company following the acquisition, while Silver Lake owns 5.5% and Affinity Partners holds the remaining 1.1%.
Commenting on the completed acquisition, Turqi Alnowaiser, Deputy Governor and Head of International Investments at PIF, said that the consortium's minority investment in EA over the past five years had given it a “deep understanding of EA's unique platform, massive global sports and gaming franchises, and iconic IP.”
With entertainment and sports being a strategic focus for PIF, he added that the "Consortium is uniquely positioned to be a long-term partner to EA's management team" in furthering the company's growth and innovation.
Why are players concerned about EA's new owners?
The deal sparked concerns across the industry when it was first announced, with US Congress members calling for a thorough review of the acquisition. More than 40 members of Congress signed an open letter to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) in January this year.
Players have also expressed concerns about the future of EA's game franchises. On Reddit, threads discussing the buyout saw fans questioning the future of series such as Battlefield, The Sims, Mass Effect, and more.
"RIP Battlefield, yearly releases will be next for this franchise. Another COD in the making. Same goes for SIMS, Mass Effect & Dragon Age," Reddit user JKKIDD231 said. Some others are concerned about censorship and change in values and priorities. Others, on the other hand, believe that not much will change, but fear there could be further layoffs as a result of the acquisition.
When the acquisition was first announced, however, EA CEO Andrew Wilson promised at the time that "values and our [EA's] commitment to players and fans around the world remain unchanged". For now though, players can only wait to see how that plays out under EA's new ownership.
