Electronic Arts Is Now a Private Company After Historic $55 Billion Buyout

Electronic Arts is no longer a public company. The acquisition by a group known as the Consortium, made up of Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, Silver Lake, and Jared Kushner's Affinity Partners, has closed.

This marks the largest leveraged buyout in history, with the deal valued at $55 billion. Roughly $20 billion of that figure comes from debt financing.

EA now sits under private ownership, and its most recognizable franchises, including The Sims, Battlefield, Mass Effect, and Dragon Age, are controlled by this new group of investors.

PIF holds a super majority stake in the company, giving Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund the most influence over EA's future direction.

Andrew Wilson, EA's Chairman and CEO, shared his thoughts on the closing in a press release. His comments arrive shortly after he received an $8 million raise, a move that raised eyebrows given that Battlefield 6's success was followed by layoffs affecting the very people who built the game.

"This moment recognizes the extraordinary people whose creativity, ambition and passion have made EA one of the world's leading interactive entertainment companies," Wilson said. "We're entering this next chapter from a position of strength with partners who share our vision and ambition. Together, we'll invest boldly, accelerate innovation, and build the next generation of games and experiences for the hundreds of millions of players and fans who inspire us every day."

PIF's deputy governor, Turqi Alnowaiser, also weighed in. “Having been a minority investor in the company for more than five years, we have a deep understanding of EA’s unique platform, massive global sports and gaming franchises, and iconic IP. Entertainment and sports are key areas of strategic focus for PIF, and are among the fastest growing and evolving sectors around the world. Together, the Consortium is uniquely positioned to be a long-term partner to EA’s management team in driving sustained growth and innovation for EA and the industry.”

EA has now quietly shut down its investor relations page. That page used to house earnings calls, financial reports, and details on leadership changes. Now that EA is privately held, none of that will be public anymore.

That lack of visibility is fueling worries about what comes next for EA's IP. Some fear existing franchises like The Sims could face heavier content restrictions. Others worry lower performing series, such as Dragon Age, could get shelved entirely, especially after Dragon Age: The Veilguard fell short of EA leadership's expectations.

Deals of this scale usually bring major structural shakeups. Considering EA has already gone through layoffs amid broader industry turbulence, there's real concern more job cuts could follow in upcoming quarters.

There's also a political angle here. US senators have raised concerns that the deal poses risks tied to foreign influence and national security.

Last year, EA had reassured its staff that its creative freedom and player-first approach would stay intact even after new ownership took over. Whether that promise holds up remains to be seen.

The Numbers Behind the Deal

Here's a quick breakdown of what shareholders and EA itself walked away with:

• EA stockholders received $210 in cash for every share they owned at closing.

• EA's stock has been delisted from NASDAQ and stopped trading entirely.

• The company posted record net bookings of $8 billion for fiscal year 2026, a 9 percent jump from the year before.

• Net revenue landed at $7.531 billion, up 1 percent year over year.

• Andrew Wilson reportedly took home a $38.7 million bonus for the 2026 fiscal year.