A substantial shift might be on the horizon for Electronic Arts (EA), the renowned video game publisher. According to reports from sources including
The Wall Street Journal, a group of investors, potentially involving Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), is considering taking EA private in a deal valued at approximately $50 billion. An announcement could come as early as next week.
Alongside the potential involvement of PIF, the private-equity firm Silver Lake is also rumored to be part of this significant financial undertaking, as indicated by sources familiar with the situation reported by the WSJ. While EA’s current market valuation hovers around $43 billion, insider discussions have reportedly placed the company’s worth closer to the $50 billion mark.
If this transaction materializes, it could potentially become the “largest leveraged buyout in history,” according to the WSJ. The previous record was set in 2007 when the Texas-based energy provider TXU was acquired by private equity firms for approximately $32 billion.
Saudi Arabia has been increasingly investing in the gaming sector in recent years. For example, Scopely, a mobile game developer with ties to the Saudi government through PIF,
acquired Niantic’s gaming division, the company responsible for Pokemon Go, for a hefty $3.5 billion in March 2025. The nation also possesses shares in prominent gaming corporations like
Activision Blizzard,
Take-Two,
Embracer, and
Nintendo, and currently holds approximately 2.6% stake in EA.
EA is a household name in the gaming world, well-known for its immensely popular sports simulation franchises, including FIFA, Madden NFL, and NBA Live. The company’s recent release includes
Skate, a revamped, free-to-play skateboarding game that will commence
its first season on October 7.
The Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) has been a source of controversy, as its chairman is Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. As a prominent figure in Saudi Arabia, he has faced significant criticism, particularly in connection to the assassination of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018. Saudi Arabia has also been subject to accusations regarding
human rights violations.
Over the past several years, Saudi Arabia has increased its participation in the sports industry, notably through the establishment of the LIV Golf league. This venture caused significant discord after a number of PGA golfers defected to the new organization. Later, the two organizations
announced plans for a merger, but this has not happened.