Jul 31, 2026
Margaret Sterling
Article Title:
Electronic Arts expects its $55 billion acquisition by an investor group led by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund to close on or around August 4, 2026.
According to a recent regulatory filing, all required approvals for the merger have now been obtained. The transaction recently cleared one of its final major hurdles after receiving approval from the European Union.
The deal will take EA private after years as a publicly traded company. Other participants include private-equity firm Silver Lake and Affinity Partners.
The acquisition comes during a period of major changes at EA, including layoffs, canceled projects, and a stronger focus on a smaller number of major franchises such as Battlefield.
Some critics have raised concerns about how the new ownership structure could affect EA’s creative decisions and long-term strategy. However, there is currently no confirmed evidence that upcoming games or existing franchises will be changed as a direct result of the takeover.
The transaction will also add substantial debt to the newly private company. EA has not yet provided full details about how that financial burden may affect future investment, staffing, or game development.