- Largest leveraged buyout in history at $50 billion.
- Saudi PIF’s participation strengthens its role in the gaming industry under Vision 2030.
- EA bets on flagship sports and shooter titles like Battlefield 6 and FC 26 to withstand market slowdown.
The Deal and Key Players
Electronic Arts (EA), the publisher behind blockbuster franchises FC and Battlefield, is in advanced talks with an investment consortium to take the company private.
The group includes:
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Silver Lake, one of the world’s largest tech-focused private equity firms.
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Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), the main investment arm of Vision 2030.
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Affinity Partners, the fund owned by Jared Kushner, backed by Saudi, Qatari, and Emirati capital.
If completed, the deal would value EA at $50 billion, making it the largest leveraged buyout in history.
Why Now? The Gaming Market in 2025
The global video game industry is facing a slowdown, as players have become more selective with their spending. Still, EA is betting heavily on its top franchises:
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Battlefield 6: The highly anticipated first-person shooter expected to generate massive sales thanks to advanced visuals and immersive combat.
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FC 26: The world’s most popular football title, ensuring stable and recurring cash flows for the company.
Market Reaction and Analyst Views
EA’s stock jumped 15% following news of the takeover talks, reflecting strong investor optimism.
Analyst Wyatt Swanson of D.A. Davidson & Co noted:
“EA’s stable cash flows make it an ideal acquisition target, especially given the predictable profitability of its annual franchises like FC.”
The 2025 M&A Boom
Large-cap mergers and acquisitions are rebounding strongly in 2025, driven by:
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Renewed boardroom confidence.
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Lower financing costs amid expected Federal Reserve rate cuts.
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A strategic shift toward scale and synergies through acquisitions rather than organic investment.
Saudi Vision 2030 and PIF’s Gaming Investments
For Saudi Arabia, PIF’s participation in the EA deal aligns with its Vision 2030 diversification strategy. The move reflects three key goals:
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Reducing dependence on oil.
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Expanding into global gaming through its arm, Savvy Games Group.
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Building cultural soft power on par with cinema and sports.
Joost van Dreunen, a games industry professor at NYU Stern, explained:
“For Saudi Arabia’s PIF, the EA deal is not just about financial returns—it’s about cementing games as cultural infrastructure as influential as film and sports.”
Saudi Arabia and Esports
Saudi Arabia is also expanding in esports and competitive gaming. The Saudi Esports Federation has announced a new global, nation-focused tournament for next year, with EA already confirmed as a partner.
This further reinforces the Kingdom’s ambition to become a global hub for gaming and esports, supporting Vision 2030’s economic and cultural transformation.
Conclusion
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Deal value: $50 billion, the largest leveraged buyout ever recorded.
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EA’s strategy: leaning on blockbuster titles Battlefield 6 and FC 26 to secure revenue amid a sluggish market.
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Saudi role: strengthening its global influence in gaming as part of Vision 2030.
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