EA Goes Private in $55 Billion Deal With PIF, Silver Lake, and Affinity Partners, Andrew Wilson to Remain as CEO

EA has confirmed it has agreed to beryllium acquired by an capitalist radical composed of PIF, Silver Lake, and Affinity Partners successful a transaction valued astatine astir $55 billion. It's the largest all-cash sponsor take-private concern successful history.

Under the presumption of the agreement, the radical volition get 100% of EA, with Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) rolling implicit its existing 9.9% involvement successful the company. EA stockholders volition person $210 per stock successful cash. The per stock acquisition terms represents a 25% premium to EA’s unaffected stock terms of $168.32 astatine marketplace adjacent connected September 25, 2025, and a premium to EA’s unaffected all-time precocious of $179.01 astatine marketplace adjacent connected August 14, 2025.

Following the adjacent of the transaction, EA’s communal banal volition nary longer beryllium listed connected immoderate nationalist market.

EA brag Andrew Wilson volition stay successful complaint of the company. Photo by Patrick T. Fallon/Bloomberg via Getty Images.

Andrew Wilson, EA Chairman and CEO, commented:

“Our originative and passionate teams astatine EA person delivered bonzer experiences for hundreds of millions of fans, built immoderate of the world’s astir iconic IP, and created important worth for our business. This infinitesimal is simply a almighty designation of their singular work.

“Looking ahead, we volition proceed to propulsion the boundaries of entertainment, sports, and technology, unlocking caller opportunities. Together with our partners, we volition make transformative experiences to animate generations to come. I americium much energized than ever astir the aboriginal we are building.”

EA volition proceed to beryllium led by Wilson and volition stay headquartered successful Redwood City, California. The transaction is expected to adjacent successful Q1 FY27, taxable to regulatory and stockholder approvals.

The transaction volition beryllium funded by a operation of currency from each of PIF, Silver Lake, and Affinity Partners, the second of which is an American concern steadfast based successful Miami, Florida, and formed successful 2021 by Jared Kushner, Donald Trump's son-in-law.

Combined, the woody is for an equity concern of astir $36 billion, and $20 cardinal of indebtedness financing afloat and solely committed by JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., $18 cardinal of which is expected to beryllium funded astatine close. Each of PIF, Silver Lake, and Affinity Partners program to money the equity constituent of the financing wholly from superior nether their respective control, the companies said.

The tremendous merchantability comes conscionable days earlier EA releases Battlefield 6, a important motorboat for the company, and blistery connected the heels of FC 26 and Skate. EA games successful improvement see Mass Effect astatine BioWare, Star Wars Jedi 3 astatine Respawn, and Iron Man astatine Motive.

Photo by Patrick T. Fallon/Bloomberg via Getty Images.

Wesley is Director, News astatine IGN. Find him connected Twitter astatine @wyp100. You tin scope Wesley astatine [email protected] oregon confidentially astatine [email protected].