Electronic Arts Nears $50 โBillion Takeover, Possibly Becoming Largestโข Leveraged Buyout Ever
REDWOOD CITY, CA – September โค26, 2025 – electronic arts (EA), the video game โgiant behind franchises like Madden and FIFA, is reportedly on the verge of going private in a deal valued at approximately $50 billion. The โpotential buyout โคisโ spearheaded by Silver lake, aโ technology-focusedโ private equity firm, with notable financial backing from Saudi Arabia’s Public Investmentโค Fund (PIF). An proclamation could โcome as early as next week, โขthough details remain subject too finalization, โขaccording to reportsโ from Bloomberg and The Financial Times.
This move marks a pivotal momentโ for both EA and the broader gaming industry, signaling a growing trend of major players seeking to operate outside the scrutiny of public markets. The deal’s sheer size would establish a new record for the largest leveraged buyout in history. The implications extend beyond EA’s shareholders,impacting the future of popular sports gaming titles and reflecting Saudi Arabia’s ambitious strategy to diversify its economy through significant investments โin the entertainment sector.
Currentlyโข publicly traded, EA has increasingly drawnโข investment from โmajor financial organizations, including the Saudi PIF, which holds nearlyโข 10% of the company. Analysts suggest Saudi Arabia’s interest stems from the consistent revenue generated by EA’s annual sports game โreleases.โ this potentialโข acquisition is part โฃof a larger patternโค of Saudi investment in gaming, with stakes already secured in Take-Two Interactive, Activision Blizzard, Nintendo, โand Embracer Group. Notably, Pokรฉmon Go developer Nianticโ recently sold its gaming division to a Saudi-owned company, Scopely, in March.
Silver Lake‘s existing gaming portfolio is comparatively โlimited, โฃprimarily consisting of a stake in Unity. In contrast,the PIF and Affinity Partners,founded by Jared Kushner,have demonstrated โฃmore extensive involvement in the gaming landscape. The outcome of this deal โwill reshape the ownership structure of one of the industry’s most influential companies and potentially accelerate the consolidation โขof power within the video game market.
