"Dragon Age: The Veilguard and EA Sports FC, the company has continued to bring in money and shown little sign of being financially struggling, making this deal all the more surprising. So, who are the buyers? PIF (Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund), Silver Lake (a tech investment firm), and Affinity Partners (led by Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of President Trump.) The deal is set to close in EA's first fiscal quarter of 2027, with the consortium paying $210 per share."
"PIF is linked to forced evictions, repression of dissent, and whitewashing Saudi Arabia's reputation through global investments, including sports and entertainment, while Silver Lake has faced scrutiny for aggressive private equity strategies that often lead to layoffs and asset stripping, and Affinity Partners is led by Jared Kushner, whose connections to President Donald Trump and foreign governments have drawn repeated criticism for potential conflicts of interest and lack of transparency."
EA, a publicly traded publisher for 36 years, will be acquired and taken private in a $55 billion deal. The buyers are Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF), Silver Lake, and Affinity Partners. The consortium will pay $210 per share and expects the deal to close in EA's first fiscal quarter of 2027. EA has had recent game underperformance but continues to generate revenue and shows little sign of financial distress. Andrew Wilson will remain CEO and the Redwood City headquarters will stay. The buyers face controversies including alleged human rights abuses, opaque practices, aggressive private equity tactics, and political conflicts of interest.
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