EA’s newly confirmed $55 billion dollar buyout by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, private equity firm Silver Lake, and Jared Kushner’s investment firm Affinity Partners marks “a new era of opportunity” and won’t impact the company’s commitment to players nor its values, EA CEO Andrew Wilson says.
Now, it’s very hard to imagine anything positive coming out of this for players and employees of EA, but naturally, Wilson doesn’t see it that way, at least not publicly.
“This moment is a recognition of your creativity, your innovation, and your passion,” he says in a memo sent to employees on Monday.
“You have built some of the world’s most iconic IP, created stories that have inspired global communities, and helped shape culture through interactive experiences. Everything we have achieved – and everything that lies ahead – is because of you.”
I’m not an expert on leveraged buyouts by private equity firms, much less ones funded in part by Saudi Arabia and Donald Trump’s son-in-law, but they typically don’t result in better working conditions for employees or better games for players. Still, Wilson, who will continue overseeing EA as CEO, insists the company’s core values aren’t going anywhere.
“We are entering a new era of opportunity,” he says. “This is one of the largest and most significant investments ever made in the entertainment industry. Our new partners bring deep experience across sports, gaming, and entertainment. They are committed with conviction to EA – they believe in our people, our leadership, and the long-term vision we are now building together.
“Our mission at EA to — Inspire The World To Play — continues to guide everything we do. Our values and our commitment to players and fans around the world remain unchanged,” adds Wilson.
“With continued rigor and operational excellence, we can amplify the creativity of our teams, accelerate innovation, and pursue transformative opportunities that position EA to lead the future of entertainment. Together, we’ll create experiences that are bold, expressive, and deeply connected to inspire generations of players around the world.”
The full impact of EA’s historical sale won’t be known for a long time, but there’s deep concern from within the overall gaming community, including BioWare fans who’ve already waited eight years for a new Mass Effect game and could now be waiting much, much longer.