Saudi-led group completes $55bn purchase of gaming giant EA
The $55bn sale of gaming giant Electronic Arts (EA) to a Saudi-led investor group, including the kingdom's Public Investment Fund (PIF) and Jared Kushner's Affinity Partners, has been completed, taking the company private. Believed to be the largest leveraged buyout in history, the deal has raised concerns among analysts about potential job cuts and more aggressive monetisation, as well as among fans of EA's inclusive titles like The Sims, given Saudi Arabia's laws against same-sex relationships.
PIF, which manages roughly £514bn for the Saudi government and also owns Newcastle United, contributed $36bn and borrowed a further $20bn from JPMorgan to fund the deal, with EA itself taking on the debt. EA makes titles including EA FC (formerly Fifa), The Sims and Mass Effect, and chief executive Andrew Wilson will remain in his role. The acquisition is the second-largest in gaming history, behind Microsoft's $69bn purchase of Activision Blizzard, and follows months of speculation since it was first announced in September 2025.
- Saudi-led group, including Jared Kushner's firm, completes $55bn EA takeover
- Largest-ever leveraged buyout; EA takes on $20bn of debt
- Fans and analysts fear censorship, cost-cutting and layoffs under new owners
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Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, the country's sovereign wealth fund, has led a group of investors, including US businessman Jared Kushner's firm Affinity Partners, in buying Electronic Arts, one of the world's biggest video game makers, for $55bn. EA is behind popular titles such as EA FC (previously known as Fifa), The Sims and Mass Effect, and the deal takes the company out of public ownership and into private hands.
The purchase is thought to be the largest deal of its kind ever done using borrowed money, with EA itself taking on much of the debt used to fund it. It matters because of who is involved and how EA operates: the Public Investment Fund is controlled by the Saudi government, which also owns Newcastle United football club, while EA's games reach hundreds of millions of players worldwide and include content, such as same-sex relationships in The Sims, that is at odds with Saudi law.
The deal has drawn scrutiny from industry analysts and players alike, with some concerned about the impact on jobs at EA and how the company might make money from its games in future, and others questioning what the change in ownership could mean for the tone and content of its titles. It follows growing interest from state-backed and private investors in buying up major entertainment and technology companies.