Digital Arts has introduced the the completion of its acquisition, which now means Saudi Arabia owns the lion’s share of the corporate.
EA confirmed in September 2025 that it was to be acquired by a gaggle of personal buyers, together with Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund (PIF), in a deal valuing the corporate at round $55 billion.
Now the corporate has introduced that the deal has been accomplished, which means it goes non-public once more after 36 years, and is now absolutely owned by “an investor consortium comprised of PIF, Silver Lake, and Affinity Companions”.
The PIF – or Public Funding Fund – is the sovereign wealth fund of Saudi Arabia and is reportedly central to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s aim of constructing the Saudi financial system much less reliant on proceeds from oil. The fund already owns billions of inventory in different online game firms, corresponding to Take-Two, and owns different firms corresponding to SNK.
Three months after the preliminary announcement was made, a submitting confirmed that the PIF would personal 93.4% of EA as soon as the deal was accomplished. Silver Lake Companions – an funding fund run by a US international non-public fairness movie primarily based in Silicon Valley – would personal 5.5% of the shares, in keeping with the submitting.
Affinity Companions – an American funding agency shaped by Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, which primarily focuses on investing in US and Israeli firms, with most of its funding coming from the Saudi Arabian authorities – would personal the remaining 1.1%.
EA CEO says it can “make investments boldly” in “this subsequent chapter”
In an announcement, EA CEO and chairman Andrew Wilson stated: “This second acknowledges the extraordinary folks whose creativity, ambition and fervour have made EA one of many world’s main interactive leisure firms.
“We’re getting into this subsequent chapter from a place of energy with companions who share our imaginative and prescient and ambition. Collectively, we’ll make investments boldly, speed up innovation, and construct the subsequent technology of video games and experiences for the tons of of thousands and thousands of gamers and followers who encourage us on daily basis.”
Turqi Alnowaiser, deputy governor and head of worldwide investments at PIF, added: “Having been a minority investor within the firm for greater than 5 years, now we have a deep understanding of EA’s distinctive platform, huge international sports activities and gaming franchises, and iconic IP.
“Leisure and sports activities are key areas of strategic focus for PIF, and are among the many quickest rising and evolving sectors world wide. Collectively, the Consortium is uniquely positioned to be a long-term accomplice to EA’s administration group in driving sustained development and innovation for EA and the trade.”
In recent times Saudi Arabia officers have stated its investments within the video games trade will assist to modernize the dominion, however they’ve include unfavorable fallout because of the nation’s extremely criticised human rights abuses.
Notably, the crown prince has been accused by US Intelligence of ordering the brutal homicide of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. The nation has additionally has traditionally cracked down on feminine activists and LBGTQI+ rights, with authorized repercussions for LGBTQI+ people together with imprisonment, fines or the demise penalty in keeping with Amnesty Worldwide.
Concern round this led to EA-owned developer Maxis – the studio behind The Sims collection, which is thought for its inclusivity and character range – stating publicly that its values won’t be affected by EA’s upcoming change in possession.
