Ea Confirms It Will Go Private In $55 Billion Acquisition

Beleaguered video crippled elephantine Electronic Arts has agreed to a $55 cardinal acquisition that will return nan institution private. Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund (PIF), Silver Lake and Affinity Partners person reached a woody to bargain EA, nan institution said in a statement. 

Some specifications astir nan projected statement surfaced complete nan weekend. The deal, nan largest-ever leveraged buyout, according to Bloomberg, marks nan extremity of EA's 35-year tally arsenic a publically traded company. “Our imaginative and passionate teams astatine EA person delivered bonzer experiences for hundreds of millions of fans, built immoderate of nan world’s astir iconic IP, and created important worth for our business," EA CEO Andrew Wilson said successful a statement. "This infinitesimal is simply a powerful nickname of their singular work."

EA hasn't been immune from nan forces that have upended nan games industry. Last year, nan institution laid disconnected much than 650 employees, which it branded an effort astatine "streamlining" its business. This year, nan institution has canceled an upcoming Black Panther crippled and closed nan studio down it, and has reportedly "shelved" its Need For Speed Franchise.

The institution said it expects nan woody to adjacent sometime successful nan first 4th of 2027, noting that it will request regulatory approvals. EA said that Wilson will proceed arsenic CEO and that its Redwood City, California office will not change. In a connection Silver Lake Co-CEO Egon Durban said that nan group plans to "invest heavily" successful nan video crippled institution and thief it "expand its scope worldwide." Silver Lake is besides portion of nan forthcoming deal to rotation disconnected nan US type of TikTok into a new, American-owned company.