Overview
- The acquisition closed on August 4, 2026, making Electronic Arts a private company, delisting its shares from Nasdaq, and paying shareholders $210 per share.
- The consortium is led by the Public Investment Fund (PIF) with Silver Lake and Affinity Partners, and PIF holds a reported roughly 93.4% stake in the company.
- The deal was financed largely with roughly $18–20 billion of debt, a sum that makes it the largest leveraged buyout in private equity history and includes a reported $20 billion loan arranged by JPMorgan.
- EA has told debt investors it will seek about $700 million in annual cost savings, including $170 million described as "organizational efficiencies," a move Bloomberg and industry reporters say strongly points to large layoffs and other cuts.
- EA and the new owners pledge to protect creative autonomy, but critics warn the PIF’s control, reduced public filings now that EA is private, Jared Kushner’s Affinity Partners ties, and the debt burden could push consolidation, greater use of AI, studio closures, IP sales, or shifts toward franchise‑safe releases.