EA’s $55B Saudi Arabian buyout just got one step closer thanks to the EU

The European Commission has approved Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund-led $55 billion acquisition of Electronic Arts, finding that the deal is unlikely to harm competition in relevant gaming and esports markets. The approval removes one of the last major regulatory obstacles, bringing the proposed takeover closer to completion and potentially making it the largest private leveraged buyout in history.

The buyer group includes PIF, Silver Lake and Jared Kushner’s Affinity Partners. Saudi Arabia has expanded rapidly into gaming through Savvy Games Group and investments in publishers including Nintendo, Take-Two and SNK; critics view this alongside wider efforts to improve the country’s international image despite its human-rights record. EA has said it would retain creative control, though commentators question how independent it would remain under PIF ownership.