EA Acquisition Completes, Valued at $55 Billion

The acquisition of Electronic Arts (EA) by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), Silver Lake, and Affinity Partners has officially been completed. This massive business move was first announced in September 2025 and was approved in December of the same year.

The acquisition is valued at a staggering $55 billion, making it one of the largest deals of its kind in history. This significant partnership aims to bring together the expertise and resources of both EA and its new investors to drive innovation and growth in the gaming industry.

Andrew Wilson’s Statement

In a press release, Andrew Wilson, Chairman and CEO of Electronic Arts, expressed his excitement about this new chapter in the company’s history. He stated, ‘This moment recognizes the extraordinary people whose creativity, ambition, and passion have made EA one of the world’s leading interactive entertainment companies.’

Wilson emphasized the company’s strength and the vision shared by its new partners, stating, ‘We’re entering this next chapter from a position of strength with partners who share our vision and ambition. Together, we’ll invest boldly, accelerate innovation, and build the next generation of games and experiences for the hundreds of millions of players and fans who inspire us every day.’

Turqi Alnowaiser’s Statement

Turqi Alnowaiser, Deputy Governor and Head of International Investments at PIF, added, ‘Having been a minority investor in the company for more than five years, we have a deep understanding of EA’s unique platform, massive global sports and gaming franchises, and iconic IP.’

He further emphasized the importance of entertainment and sports in PIF’s strategic focus, stating, ‘Entertainment and sports are key areas of strategic focus for PIF, and are among the fastest growing and evolving sectors around the world. Together, the Consortium is uniquely positioned to be a long-term partner to EA’s management team in driving sustained growth and innovation for EA and the industry.’

The acquisition of EA is seen as a significant move in the gaming industry, with the use of artificial intelligence (AI) playing a crucial role in the company’s future growth. As reported by The Financial Times, the deal hinges on the hope that AI will ‘significantly’ cut EA’s operating costs, helping the consortium of private investors to better manage the debt.

Sources involved in the acquisition told the outlet that investors are betting that AI-spurred cuts will result in higher profits in the years to follow. The use of AI in the gaming space has been a hot-button topic for some time now, with developers sharing conflicting opinions on the matter.

Some developers, like Stranger Than Heaven director Masayoshi Yokoyama, believe that AI might become inevitable in the creation of large-scale games, such as the upcoming GTA 6, if demand for massive, open-world titles continues. Others, like Capcom, have stated that they will not use AI to create assets for their games, but will ‘proactively use it as a contributing technology to improve the efficiency and productivity of the game development process.’

The acquisition of EA by PIF, Silver Lake, and Affinity Partners has been a long time coming, with the deal first announced in September 2025. The official completion of the acquisition follows a hugely successful fiscal 2026 year for EA, which was marked by the highly successful launch of Battlefield 6.

The company’s resilience in an ‘unpredictable external environment’ was largely due to the success of Battlefield 6, which earned its CEO an $8 million pay increase despite layoffs across the Battlefield teams.