Video game giant Electronic Arts — the maker of Madden NFL, Battlefield, and The Sims — is set to be acquired for $52.5 billion in what could become the largest private equity-funded buyout in history.
Silver Lake Partners, Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund (PIF), and Affinity Partners — led by President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner — will pay shareholders $210 per share. Including EA’s debt, the deal is valued at $55 billion, far surpassing the $32 billion leveraged buyout of Texas utility TXU in 2007, according to The Associated Press.
PIF, already EA’s largest insider stakeholder with 9.9%, will roll over its existing investment. Analyst Andrew Marok of Raymond James said the deal fits Saudi Arabia’s growing push into gaming.
“The Saudi PIF has been a very active player in the video gaming market since 2022, taking minority stakes in most scaled public video gaming publishers, and also outright purchases of companies like ESL, FACEIT, and Scopely,” Marok wrote. “The PIF has made its intentions to scale its gaming arm, Savvy Gaming Group, clear, and the EA deal would represent the biggest such move to date by some distance.”
Founded in 1982 by former Apple employee William “Trip” Hawkins, EA went public in 1986, with its shares initially priced at a split-adjusted 52 cents. Its CEO since 2013, Andrew Wilson, will remain in his role. The company will continue to be headquartered in Redwood City, California.
“Electronic Arts is an extraordinary company with a world-class management team and a bold vision for the future,” Kushner said. “I’ve admired their ability to create iconic, lasting experiences, and as someone who grew up playing their games — and now enjoys them with his kids — I couldn’t be more excited about what’s ahead.”
The move comes as gaming attracts bigger investors. Microsoft acquired Activision Blizzard for nearly $69 billion in 2023, while competition from mobile developers like Epic Games continues to intensify.
Some analysts, however, questioned the price. Mike Hickey of The Benchmark Company argued the $210 per share offer undervalues EA.
“With Battlefield 6 about to launch and a pipeline that could add more than $2B in incremental bookings by FY28, the true earnings power of EA is only beginning to emerge,” Hickey wrote. He called the deal “a self-serving, opportunistic move” prioritizing short-term certainty over long-term value.
Others, like Nick McKay of Freedom Capital Markets, saw upside. “The financial backing and resources of the investor consortium should enable EA to increase its focus on long-term growth opportunities that may have been viewed as too risky or expensive as a public company,” he said.
EA shares rose nearly 5% Monday after climbing 15% Friday on takeover rumors. The deal, expected to close in fiscal Q1 2027, still requires shareholder approval.
