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Saudi-Led Group to Take Electronic Arts Private in $55 Billion Deal

The debt-funded buyout ranks among gaming’s biggest, with approvals still pending.

Overview

  • Shareholders are being offered $210 per share, a roughly 25% premium to EA’s pre-report price.
  • The consortium comprises Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, Silver Lake and Jared Kushner’s Affinity Partners, with financing of about $36 billion in equity and roughly $20 billion in debt arranged with JPMorgan.
  • EA says CEO Andrew Wilson will remain in place and the headquarters will stay in Redwood City, while PIF rolls its approximately 9.9% stake into the transaction.
  • The deal requires EA shareholder approval and regulatory review, including U.S. foreign-investment scrutiny, with closing guidance ranging from early 2026 to EA’s fiscal 2027.
  • At roughly $55 billion, the take-private would be one of the largest deals in gaming history, as analysts warn the leveraged structure could heighten pressure for cost cuts and increased monetization.