Electronic Arts has agreed to a roughly $55 billion take-private led by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), Silver Lake, and Jared Kushner’s Affinity Partners. Shareholders get $210 per share.
The financing stack comprises ~$36 billion in equity (including PIF rolling over its ~10% stake) and $20 billion in debt underwritten by JPMorgan, with most of the debt drawn at closing.
EA says Andrew Wilson will stay on as CEO, and the company will remain in Redwood City while the deal moves through shareholder and regulatory approvals, with closing expected in fiscal Q1 2027.
How Does the Deal Structure Shape EA’s Future?
A leveraged buyout loads the company with debt that it must service from future cash flows.

At this level of scale, companies will enforce stricter portfolio discipline. Only projects with a clear route to sustained revenue will pass approval easily, and early cost control will follow.
This sets a new record for leveraged buyouts and points to a future where cash flow and profit pressure drive key moves.
The product roadmap ahead feels straightforward, and that's to double down on big-ticket franchises EA already knows how to monetize, such as Sports FC and Madden with Ultimate Team, Apex Legends’ engagement hooks, a bold Battlefield 6 reboot, and long-tail content from The Sims.
Expect more experiments in subscriptions and cross-title “economies,” not because Wall Street is watching, but because lenders are.
What Will Happen to EA’s Studios and Jobs?
Studios will feel the heat unevenly as teams tied to dependable bookings are safest.

Groups with recent misses or long, expensive cycles are likelier to face reorgs. That’s why BioWare sits at the center of fan anxiety after Dragon Age: The Veilguard underperformed and Mass Effect 5 still carries risk.
None of this is pre-announced, but history says big LBOs often bring consolidations, sunsets, and layoffs to protect cash flow.
Debt service and investor return targets make recurring revenue even more attractive. Expect more emphasis on subscriptions like EA Play, seasonal passes, and cross-title economies.
Sports games will double down on cosmetics and team-building systems. Battlefield and Apex are natural candidates for renewed retention loops, events, and regional promos.
Several analysts also frame a fresh mobile push as likely, as EA has struggled to plant a lasting tentpole on phones, and a private owner set can accept heavy upfront spend if it believes the mobile TAM pays down debt faster.
Watch for revived approaches to shooters and sports on phones, including regional firsts in MENA, where PIF’s network can grease distribution, servers, payments, and events.
Will the New Owners Affect Game Content and Culture?
Because PIF is a lead investor and Affinity is in the mix, some players worry about LGBTQ+ representation in the BioWare series and The Sims.

EA leadership is publicly emphasizing “values remain unchanged,” but the real constraints will show up market by market (local laws) and in any board-level guidance that nudges risk-sensitive content.
Regulators, meanwhile, will scrutinize foreign investment, data handling, and governance before closing. Expect no major moves before closing. The current setup remains until approvals come through.
The earliest signs are usually quicker closures for weak titles, slimmer stores and passes, more test-and-expand trials for new modes, and a louder push behind the hit of the moment (Battlefield if it clicks, sports if it doesn’t).
For more like this, stick with us here at Gfinityesports.com: the best website for gaming news.