Electronic Arts officially ceases to be its own entity today: After the market closes in the USA, the $55 billion deal will be sealed, with a consortium led by the Saudi Arabian sovereign wealth fund, the Public Investment Fund (PIF), acquiring the Battlefield– and FIFA publisher. This marks the end of EA's 37-year history as a publicly traded company – and the beginning of a new, not uncontroversial chapter.
Who is Behind the $55 Billion Deal
The deal had already been announced in September 2025 but required months for regulatory approvals. All necessary permits were finally obtained by the end of July 2026, including the green light from the EU Commission on July 23. The breakdown of the new, private EA looks like this:
- Public Investment Fund (PIF, Saudi Arabia): approximately 93.4 percent of shares
- Silver Lake Group: approximately 5.5 percent of shares
- Affinity Partners (Jared Kushner's investment firm): approximately 1.1 percent of shares
- EA shareholders will receive $210 USD in cash per share
- Andrew Wilson remains CEO, headquarters stay in Redwood City, California
At $55 billion, it is the largest leveraged buyout in history – even surpassing the acquisition of TXU Energy in 2007. The PIF had previously been active as an investor in the gaming sector, including stakes in Nintendo, Take-Two, and Activision Blizzard, but this marks the first time it holds such a dominant majority in EA.
What This Means for Andrew Wilson and the Community
The deal becomes particularly sensitive in conjunction with a figure we reported on just a few days ago: CEO Andrew Wilson received $38.6 million in the last fiscal year – the same year EA laid off parts of the Battlefield and Skate teams. The acquisition apparently triggers an additional clause: Should Wilson be pushed out of the company due to the change of ownership, he could reportedly receive an additional sum of up to $125 million. For many employees who simultaneously feared for their jobs, this presents a bitter contrast.
Within the community, the PIF's role is primarily fueling discussions. Critics point to Saudi Arabia's human rights record and fear that a state-controlled major investor could further intensify EA's already strong focus on live-service titles like EA Sports FC and Battlefield. Supporters, however, argue that little will change in the day-to-day business and ongoing games in the short term, as Wilson and the existing management team will remain in office. From our perspective, a sober look is worthwhile for players: Governance questions in such a large deal are legitimate, but whether the acquisition will actually impact prices, monetization, or studio decisions for Battlefield 6 will only become clear in the coming months.
Source: WCCFTech, GamesReviews.com
What do you think of the Saudi acquisition of EA – a business footnote or a real warning sign for the future of Battlefield and other titles? Discuss with us in the comments!
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