Saudi Fund Acquires Electronic Arts for a Record Sum

The gaming industry is shaken by a major event: a consortium of investors led by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), with participation from Silver Lake and Affinity Partners, has announced the acquisition of Electronic Arts. The deal is valued at around $55 billion, making it the second-largest in video game history — only behind Microsoft’s $67.8 billion purchase of Activision Blizzard.

The same fund also owns the Newcastle United football club in England.

As a result, EA — publisher of iconic franchises such as EA Sports FC (formerly FIFA), Battlefield, and Madden NFL — will cease to be a public company: its shares will no longer be traded on the stock market. According to the terms of the agreement, shareholders will receive $210 in cash per share. EA’s headquarters will remain in Redwood City, California, and CEO Andrew Wilson will keep his position.

The deal has already been approved by all parties and is expected to close in the first quarter of fiscal year 2027. However, experts do not rule out possible antitrust reviews, similar to those faced during the Activision Blizzard acquisition.

Previously, PIF owned nearly 10% of EA shares, but now the fund is fully consolidating the asset with its partners. This marks the largest private cash investment in gaming history.

Andrew Wilson emphasized that the merger will open new opportunities:

“Our talented teams have brought the world some of the most iconic game franchises, inspiring hundreds of millions of players. A new chapter begins now. Together with our partners, we will shape the future of entertainment, sports, and technology, creating unique experiences for generations to come.”