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Electronic Arts is taken private in $55bn deal with Saudi-backed group

The transaction closes after EU approval, ending EA’s 36-year run as a publicly traded company.

Reported · Written up by our desk · M&A & Deals

Electronic Arts, the video game maker behind titles including The Sims, Madden NFL and Battlefield, has completed a $55 billion acquisition that takes the company private, according to Guardian Business. The buyer group includes Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) along with Affinity Partners, a private equity firm linked to Jared Kushner, and Silver Lake Partners. EA said the deal was finalized on Tuesday evening, days after the European Union granted approval, providing the final regulatory green light needed. As part of the transaction, EA is set to end its 36-year history as a publicly traded company. Guardian Business notes that the company will no longer be required to report quarterly financial results, a change analysts say can reduce ongoing scrutiny. EA is best known for its EA Sports franchise, including EA Sports FC, and its annual revenues have recently hovered between $7.4 billion and $7.6 billion, the outlet said. Guardian Business also points to intensifying competition from mobile game makers and notes that Activision Blizzard was acquired by Microsoft for nearly $69 billion in 2023.

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