Video-game maker Electronic Arts Inc., is in talks to be taken private by a consortium led by Silver Lake Management, Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund and Jared Kushner’s Affinity Partners, according to people familiar with the matter.
The company, known for popular titles such as Madden NFL, The Sims and Battlefield, could announce a deal as soon as next week, said the people, who asked not to be identified discussing confidential information.
JPMorgan Chase & Co. is working on a financing package for the buyers, the people added.
A takeover of Electronic Arts would rank among the biggest deals announced so far in 2025 and potentially the largest leveraged buyout of all time, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.
Shares of Redwood City, California-based Electronic Arts closed about 15% higher at $193.35 at in New York, giving the company a market value of roughly $48 billion.
Representatives for Electronic Arts and PIF didn’t respond to a request for comment. Silver Lake, Affinity Partners and JPMorgan declined to comment.
The Wall Street Journal reported on the talks earlier Friday, while the Financial Times wrote about the financing details.
Kushner, the president’s son-in-law, founded the investment firm Affinity Partners during the first Trump administration and is backed by foreign investors, including from the Middle East.
After struggling at the beginning of 2025 due the underperformance of its latest soccer game, EA Sports FC 25, Electronic Arts has bounced back, citing “better-than-expected contributions” across its portfolio in its most recent earnings call.
Electronic Arts will release Battlefield 6 on Oct. 10, competing with Microsoft Corp.’s Call of Duty for the video-game shooter market.
The takeover discussions coincide with a period of sluggish growth for the video-game industry, which has shed tens of thousands of jobs over the last three years following a swell of players during Covid lockdowns.
Earlier this year, Electronic Arts cut hundreds of staff, its third mass layoff since 2023.
–With assistance from Jason Schreier.
