Electronic Arts has officially completed the transaction to be acquired by an investor consortium led by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF). The value of the deal reached $55 billion, making it the second-largest acquisition in the history of the gaming industry, following Microsoft's purchase of Activision Blizzard.
The consortium also includes the investment firm Silver Lake and the fund Affinity Partners. Following the completion of the deal, Electronic Arts ceased trading its shares on the stock exchange and went private. According to available information, the Public Investment Fund acquired approximately 93.4% of the new entity's shares, while the remainder was split between Silver Lake and Affinity Partners.
EA CEO Andrew Wilson stated that the company will maintain its trajectory toward developing its most successful franchises and will continue to invest in creating new games. At the same time, analysts expect that after going private, the publisher will focus even more on its most profitable series, including EA Sports FC, Battlefield, The Sims, and Madden NFL.
The deal sparked active discussion within the gaming community. A portion of developers and players are expressing concern over the potential influence of the new owners on studio creative freedom, corporate policy, and the future development of individual franchises. Meanwhile, Electronic Arts management emphasizes that the company will retain its operational independence and continue working on scheduled projects.
For Saudi Arabia, the acquisition of Electronic Arts represents another major step in executing its gaming industry development strategy. Over recent years, the Public Investment Fund has already invested in a number of major companies and esports assets, and purchasing one of the world's largest video game publishers only solidifies the country's position in the global interactive entertainment market.
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