In its recent filing with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, Electronic Arts has announced that its acquisition by Saudi Arabia’s PIF, Affinity Partners and Silver Lake will be going ahead as planned after having obtained all of the required regulatory approvals. The deal, slated to close on August 4th, will lead to the company becoming privately owned, with PIF taking on 93.4 percent ownership. Silver Lake will get 5.5 percent of the company, and Affinity Partners will get 1.1 percent.
“As of July 30, 2026, all regulatory approvals required to complete the Merger have been obtained. Electronic Arts currently expects the Merger to close on or about the close of trading on August 4, 2026,” said EA in its filing.
The acquisition was first announced back in September 2025, and the all-cash deal is valued at around $55 billion. Shareholders in the company were offered $210 per share, which was noted as being higher than the share price at the time – $168.32 – and even higher than the all-time high EA share value of $179.01.
“Our creative and passionate teams at EA have delivered extraordinary experiences for hundreds of millions of fans, built some of the world’s most iconic IP, and created significant value for our business. This moment is a powerful recognition of their remarkable work,” said CEO and chairman Andrew Wilson in a statement.
“Looking ahead, we will continue to push the boundaries of entertainment, sports, and technology, unlocking new opportunities. Together with our partners, we will create transformative experiences to inspire generations to come. I am more energized than ever about the future we are building.”
By December 2025, EA’s shareholders had approved the acquisition, which then opened up the door for the company to start seeking regulatory approvals.
Back in January, however, lawmakers, including more than 40 House Democrats in the US Congress, had raised some concerns over the acquisition, and asked the Federal Trade Commission to put it under closer scrutiny. The primary reason for this was to ensure that jobs wouldn’t be affected due to a concentration of the labor market. Along with this, the fact that the deal was being financed through a leveraged deal that would put EA at least $20 billion in debt also raised some eyebrows.
“We are concerned that the proposed buyout is expected to be financed with at least $20 billion in debt, which creates strong incentives for the acquiring firms to pursue further cost-cutting measures, including lay-offs, offshoring, restructuring, or studio closures. These actions would not only jeopardize thousands of high-skilled American jobs, but also further concentrate already fragile labor markets for software engineers, artists, writers, testers, and other professionals whose skills are essential to the industry.”
The latest round of regulatory approvals means that EA is right on schedule for its acquisition process, with the company having said that the deal would be completed by Q1 of the 2027 fiscal year. From August 4th onwards, EA’s shares will no longer be listed on any stock exchange. In the meantime, Wilson and the rest of the executive team at EA have also been handsomely rewarded with large bonus packages.
