Saudi Arabia, Jared Kushner firms buy EA, makers of 'Madden NFL,' other video games, for $55 billion

Electronic Arts, the gaming company responsible for popular video game franchises including “Madden NFL,” “The Sims” and “Battlefront,” has agreed to a $55 billion buyout, the largest private equity-led buyout in history.

The buyout announced Monday includes significant investments from private equity firm Silver Lake, the Saudi Arabian-funded company PIF and Affinity Partners, founded by Jared Kushner’s firm, a former Trump White House aide and President Donald Trump's son-in-law. 

“As ​someone ​who ​grew up playing their ​games ​– and now enjoys them with his ​kids – I couldn't be ​more ​excited about ​what's ​ahead," Kushner said. 

PIF, which already owned 9.9% of EA, will roll over its current stake in the company as part of the transaction.

“This partnership will help further drive EA’s long-term growth, while fueling innovation within the industry on a global scale,” said PIF spokesman Turqi Alnowaiser.

Now that EA is privately owned, it can avoid wild shifts in the stock market. The company’s growth was stagnant the past few fiscal years, holding around $7.4 to $7.6 billion.

EA will pay its current shareholders $210 per share to complete the transaction.

This move comes just a couple of years after tech giant Microsoft bought one of EA’s top market competitors Activision Blizzard. That company, which created popular gaming franchises like “Call of Duty,” Overwatch” and “Spyro,” was purchased for about $69 billion in 2023.

EA’s deal is expected to be completed early in the 2027 fiscal year. It still needs final approval from its shareholders.