News Summary

Electronic Arts (EA), the maker of popular video games such as ‘Madden NFL’, ‘Battlefield’, and ‘The Sims’, is set to go private in a $55 billion deal. This acquisition is led by a consortium comprising Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, Silver Lake Partners, and Affinity Partners, an investment firm founded by Jared Kushner. The deal will pay EA shareholders $210 per share and marks one of the largest buyouts funded by private-equity firms. The transaction is expected to conclude by the spring or summer of 2026, ending EA’s 36 years as a publicly traded company. The Saudi PIF has been actively investing in the video gaming sector since 2022, with stakes in several major gaming companies. EA’s CEO, Andrew Wilson, emphasized the company’s focus on building large online communities and advancing live services and digital distribution in the future.