Games

Electronic Arts will be acquired for $50 billion

Ken Metral

26 Sep 2025 — 2 min read

Credit: Electronic Arts, Inc.

Electronic Arts (EA), one of the world’s largest video game publishers, is reportedly on the verge of a $50 billion sale to a consortium of investors that includes private equity giant Silver Lake and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF). The deal, first reported by The Wall Street Journal, would mark the largest leveraged buyout in history.

A Gaming Powerhouse

EA is best known for its annual lineup of blockbuster sports titles, including Madden NFL, FIFA, and NBA Live. Beyond sports, the company’s portfolio spans some of gaming’s most iconic franchises, from The Sims and Battlefield to Need for Speed and Star Wars. These properties have long made EA a dominant force in both console and PC gaming, while the company has also expanded aggressively into mobile and live-service games.

A Record-Breaking Deal

What sets this potential sale apart is its scale. At $50 billion, the leveraged buyout would surpass previous records, as the majority of the purchase would be financed through debt. For context, leveraged buyouts of this size are exceedingly rare in any industry, let alone in gaming, highlighting both the attractiveness of EA’s intellectual property and the willingness of global investors to bet on the future of interactive entertainment.

Market Reaction

Investors quickly took notice of the news. EA’s stock surged 15% on Friday afternoon after reports of the possible deal broke, reflecting optimism that a privatization could unlock new growth opportunities for the company. Analysts suggest that going private could give EA more flexibility to pursue long-term projects without the pressures of quarterly earnings reports.

What’s Next?

If the transaction closes, it could reshape the video game industry, sending ripples across both Wall Street and Silicon Valley. For players, the buyout raises questions about the direction of EA’s franchises and whether the change in ownership might influence pricing, content strategies, or partnerships.

With video games increasingly at the center of global entertainment—and investors hungry for assets with strong digital revenue streams—EA’s sale may mark not just a milestone for the company, but a turning point for the industry as a whole.

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