In a somewhat surprising team up, Jared Kushner and Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund are joining together to buy video game giant Electronic Arts for a staggering $55 billion.
EA announced today that it has agreed to be taken private by a group of investors that includes Kushner’s private-equity firm Affinity Partners, Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), and investment firm Silver Lake. The group plans to pay stockholders $210 a share in cash.
The deal comes as the gaming industry has seen younger gamers gravitate more toward mobile and free-to-play hits like Fortnite and Roblox, rather than the pricey, franchise-driven blockbusters EA is known for. Founded in 1982 by ex-Apple exec Trip Hawkins, EA has built mega-series like sports franchises FIFA and Madden NFL, as well as the iconic life simulator The Sims. Battlefield 6, the next installment in the company’s military first-person shooter series, drops next month.
EA CEO Andrew Wilson, who will stay on after the sale, tried to calm nerves about the coming shake-up.
In a memo to staff, Wilson called the agreement one of the largest 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,” Wilson wrote.
Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund already owns nearly 10% of EA, a stake it’s rolling into the new deal. The fund has been on a gaming buying spree in recent years. In 2021, it launched Savvy Games Group to manage a planned $38 billion push into the industry. Savvy has since acquired companies like Scopely, the studio behind Monopoly Go. And then earlier this year, Scopely itself bought the gaming division of Niantic, the makers of Pokemon Go.
These moves could hint at where the new owners want to steer EA. By taking the company private, they can make big changes without considering quarterly market reactions.
The deal is slated to close in the first quarter of fiscal 2027, at which point EA would be removed from public trading.
Shareholders and regulators still need to sign off, though regulatory approval may be easier in a business-friendly Trump administration—especially with the president’s son-in-law among the investors.
“Electronic Arts is an extraordinary company with a world-class management team and a bold vision for the future. I’ve admired their ability to create iconic, lasting experiences, and 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 in a press release.