Electronic Arts Confirms $56 Billion Acquisition

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Electronic Arts (EA) has officially confirmed that it has entered into an agreement to be acquired by a consortium of investors, led by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), alongside Silver Lake, and Affinity Partners. The deal is valued at approximately $56 billion and is set to be the largest all-cash sponsor take-private investment in history.

Under the terms of the agreement, the investment group will acquire 100% of the company. EA stockholders will receive $210 per share in cash, an offer that follows earlier reports suggesting the company was in “advanced talks” for a leveraged buyout worth up to $50 billion.

The total value of the transaction is reported to include an equity investment of approximately $36 billion from the PIF, which is rolling its existing stake into the new entity. The deal also includes $20 billion of debt financing, with $18 billion expected to be funded at the closing of the transaction. The acquisition is expected to officially close during the first quarter of fiscal year 2027.

The PIF’s involvement has been closely watched, as the fund has been steadily increasing its stake in the gaming giant for years. It initially purchased over $3 billion of stock in EA in 2021 and significantly increased its stake by 55% in 2023. Analysts suggest the PIF’s continued investment in EA is largely driven by the global success of its sports portfolio.

“Our creative and passionate teams at EA have delivered extraordinary experiences for hundreds of millions of fans, built some of the world’s most iconic IP, and created significant value for our business. Together with our partners, we will continue to push the boundaries of entertainment, sports, and technology, unlocking new opportunities… I am more energized than ever about the future we are building.”

EA CEO Andrew Wilson