EA to be Acquired by a Consortium of Investors for $55 Billion

EA announced today that it was being acquired by a consortium of investors led by Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia (PIF), Silver Lake, and Affinity Partners, in an all-cash $55 billion transaction. EA will go private once the acquisition closes in Q1 FY2027, following required regulatory approvals.

EA, which was founded back in 1982, is the home of blockbuster franchises such as EA Sports FC, Madden NFL, F1 The Sims, and Battlefield. At $55 billion, this is one of the biggest acquisitions of 2025, though it trails behind Microsoft’s $68 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard back two years ago.

“Our creative and passionate teams at EA have delivered extraordinary experiences for hundreds of millions of fans, built some of the world’s most iconic IP, and created significant value for our business. This moment is a powerful recognition of their remarkable work,” said Andrew Wilson, Chairman & CEO of Electronic Arts. “Looking ahead, we will continue to push the boundaries of entertainment, sports, and technology, unlocking new opportunities. Together with our partners, we will create transformative experiences to inspire generations to come. I am more energized than ever about the future we are building.”

In recent years, EA saw its reputation suffer following what gamers perceived as excessive greed and the mismanagement of its internal studios. You may remember the lootbox drama around Star Wars Battlefront 2, and the failure of high-profile games such as BioWare’s Mass Effect: Andromeda and Anthem. EA also went through several rounds of layoffs and cancelled a much-anticipated new Titanfall game along the way.

EA still remains a juggernaut in the video games space, and the company’s upcoming Battlefield 6 game seems to be enjoying a lot of positive buzz ahead of its October 10 release. The company will remain headquartered in Redwood City, California, once the acquisition is completed, and Andrew Wilson will also keep his CEO hat.

It’s too early to say if this acquisition will lead to more consolidation across the industry. Ubisoft, which also has its own set of troubles, chose to set up a new subsidiary backed by China’s Tencent that will oversee the development of its biggest gaming brands, including Assassin’s Creed, Far Cry and Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six.