Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund now has EA to expand its global influence through consortium.
Electronic Arts (EA), the publisher behind videogames such as EA Sports FC, Madden and Battlefield, has agreed to be acquired in an all-cash deal worth around $55bn.
Lauded as the largest all-cash private equity buyout in history, the takeover is being led by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), alongside Silver Lake and Affinity Partners.
Under the agreement, EA shareholders will receive $210 per share, a 25% premium compared to its stock price on September 25, 2025. PIF will roll over its existing 9.9% stake, while the rest of the deal will be funded through equity and $20bn in debt.
The transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of fiscal year 2027, subject to regulatory and shareholder approval.
EA CEO Andrew Wilson said the deal “recognises the extraordinary work of our teams” and will give the company room to accelerate innovation.
“Looking ahead, we will continue to push the boundaries of entertainment, sports, and technology, unlocking new opportunities,” Wilson added. “Together with our partners, we will create transformative experiences to inspire generations to come. I am more energised than ever about the future we are building.”
Saudi Arabia’s growing influence
Saudi Arabia’s PIF began investing heavily in sports in 2016 as part of its Vision 2030 plan to diversify the economy beyond oil. Early attention grabbing moves included a $1bn partnership with WWE in 2018, the acquisition of Newcastle United in 2021 and the launch of LIV Golf in 2022.
In gaming and esports, PIF made its first significant push in 2022 with the launch of the National Gaming and Esports Strategy. This positioned the kingdom as a hub for gaming and PIF created Savvy Games Group to lead the plan.
Savvy went on to acquire ESL and FACEIT, merging them into the world’s largest esports company, before buying US publisher Scopely, developer of Monopoly Go! which partnered with Six Nations earlier this year.
Saudi Arabia has also gained influence through events. In 2024 it launched the Esports World Cup, which debuted with a record $60m prize pool, surpassed this year by more than $10m.
While critics continue to raise concerns about human rights issues, these have done little to slow PIF’s progress.
With EA now under Saudi-backed ownership, a clear opportunity lies in football. EA Sports FC is one of the most notable videogames in history and bringing the Saudi Pro League more prominently into the game, through exclusive content, could give the league global visibility.
This may help reignite momentum for the Saudi Pro League, which surged with signings like Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar Jr. but has recently struggled to maintain the same growth.
“PIF is uniquely positioned in the global gaming and esports sectors, building and supporting ecosystems that connect fans, developers, and IP creators,” said Turqi Alnowaiser, Deputy Governor and Head of International Investments at PIF.
“PIF has demonstrated a strong commitment to these sectors, and this partnership will help further drive EA’s long-term growth, while fueling innovation within the industry on a global scale.”
