EA Sports acquired in massive private sale to Saudi-backed consortium

EA Sports, the company responsible for some of the biggest video games of all time, has announced it will be acquired by an investor consortium with deep ties to Saudi Arabia.

Electronic Arts confirmed it has entered into a definitive agreement to be purchased by a group consisting of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), Silver Lake, and Affinity Partners. The all-cash deal values the company at $55 billion, marking the largest sponsor-led take-private acquisition in history.

Under the terms, shareholders will receive $210 per share — a 25% premium on EA’s September 25 closing price of $168.32. PIF, which already owns a 9.9% stake, will roll its holding into the new structure.

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EA CEO Andrew Wilson called the acquisition “a powerful recognition” of the company’s creative teams and said the partnership would “push the boundaries of entertainment, sports, and technology.”

PIF’s Turqi Alnowaiser highlighted the sovereign wealth fund’s growing focus on gaming and esports, while Silver Lake and Affinity Partners said they planned to accelerate EA’s global growth.

The deal is expected to unlock new opportunities in fan engagement and digital experiences, while delivering immediate cash value to investors.

EA Sports has been in a period of change following FIFA’s decision in 2022 to discontinue their relationship, which had seen some of the most popular football-themed games released over a 30 year period.

FIFA has recently launched their first game since the split, with FIFA Heroes released in October 2025, while EA Sports rebranded their titles EA Sports FC and have continued to thrive in the esports world.

Saudia Arabia has previously made waves with the Esports World Cup event played the last two years, which has seen huge prize pools for various games, with it played in Riyadh.