Electronic Arts has announced that its acquisition by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), Silver Lake, and Affinity Partners – a group known collectively as the “Consortium” – is now complete. The buyout, valued at around $55 billion, has resulted in the game maker going completely private and its stock being delisted from various exchanges. The deal was originally announced all the way back in September 2025, followed by approval by EA’s shareholders in December.
In a statement, CEO Andrew Wilson has said that the company will work with its new owners to “invest boldly” to ensure the growth of the company by working on next-generation games and experiences.
“This moment recognizes the extraordinary people whose creativity, ambition and passion have made EA one of the world’s leading interactive entertainment companies. We’re 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.”
With the deal having closed, the PIF has now taken on 93.4 percent ownership in the company. Silver Lake and Affinity Partners, on the other hand, have taken on 5.5 percent and 1.1 percent ownership, respectively. As per the terms of the deal, shareholders are being paid $210 per EA share owned in cash. At the time, this was noted as being a premium of 25 percent over the company’s share price as of the market’s closing on September 25th, 2025, which saw each share valued at $168.32.
“Having been a minority investor in the company for more than five years, we have a deep understanding of EA’s unique platform, massive global sports and gaming franchises, and iconic IP,” said the PIF head of international investments and deputy governor, Turqi Alnowaiser. “Entertainment and sports are key areas of strategic focus for PIF, and are among the fastest growing and evolving sectors around the world. Together, the Consortium is uniquely positioned to be a long-term partner to EA’s management team in driving sustained growth and innovation for EA and the industry.”
Silver Lake CEO Egon Durban, in his own statement, has implied that EA might start seeing heavier investments into AI-based technologies. While the form these technologies will take remains unknown, Durban has noted that he is keen to see what AI can do to enhance the game development process as well as player experience.
“As long-term investors in technology, we admire how EA’s innovation fuels imagination and human connection. We’re proud to join with PIF and Affinity Partners to invest heavily in EA’s growth, including what AI can do to enhance game development and player experience, and excited to partner with Andrew and the EA team as they raise the bar for fans everywhere.”
The closure of the deal comes shortly after EA confirmed that it had obtained all the necessary regulatory approvals. Interestingly, this came despite US lawmakers asking the Federal Trade Commission to investigate the deal before outright approving it.
