Saudis, Jared Kushner involved in bonkers EA deal

Electronic Arts (EA), the video game giant behind Battlefield, The Sims, and Madden NFL, is going private in a record $55 billion buyout.

The buyout was led by a consortium including private equity firm Silver Lake Partners, Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), and Affinity Partners, the investment company founded by Jared Kushner, the husband of Ivanka Trump.

The video game industry remains one of the fastest-growing segments in entertainment, a market so attractive that investors are scrambling to get a stake in it.

Together, the group carried out the biggest leveraged buyout the video game industry has ever seen, according to CNN, a deal funded mostly with borrowed money. It will take EA private after more than 30 years on the stock market, ending public trading of its shares and putting the company fully under the control of its new investors.

EA’s leadership team, including CEO Andrew Wilson, will remain in place to steer the company through the transition. In a statement, Wilson said: «By taking EA private, we’ll have greater freedom to invest, innovate, and deliver the kind of groundbreaking experiences players expect from us.»

Founded in 1982 by Trip Hawkins, Electronic Arts (EA) quickly established itself as a pioneer in the video game industry.

The company gained early recognition with computer games like Pinball Construction Set before rising to global prominence with sports titles under its EA Sports label, especially Madden NFL (launched in 1988). In the 2000s, EA expanded its portfolio with blockbuster franchises including The Sims, Battlefield, FIFA, and Need for Speed, solidifying its dominance in both console and PC markets.

Over four decades, EA has grown into one of the world’s largest publishers, shaping modern gaming culture worldwide.