EA shareholders back $55bn acquisition

Investors in US publishing giant Electronic Arts have backed the company’s acquisition by a consortium that includes the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund.

Bloomberg reports that the $55 billion deal has been approved by shareholders, who stand to make $210 for each share they own in the firm. Before the consortium announced their intention to acquire Electronic Arts, the company’s stock was trading at $174.04; the publisher’s share price closed at $203.79 last night.

In September, a consortium of investors made up of the PIF, Silver Lake Capital and Affinity Partners announced its plan to buy EA. It’s the largest take-private investment in history and is set to close in the first quarter of the company’s 2027 financial year, by June 30th, 2026.

“Our creative and passionate teams at EA have delivered extraordinary experiences for hundreds of millions of fans, built some of the world’s most iconic IP, and created significant value for our business,” EA CEO Andrew Wilson said at the time.

“Looking ahead, we will continue to push the boundaries of entertainment, sports, and technology, unlocking new opportunities.

“Together with our partners, we will create transformative experiences to inspire generations to come. I am more energised than ever about the future we are building.”

Now that shareholders have approved the deal, it needs to undergo regulatory approval. The fact that Affinity Partners was set up by Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of US president Donald Trump, could speed this process up, at least in the United States of America.

Once the deal closes, the PIF will own 93.4% of Electronic Arts, though the Saudi sovereign wealth fund also holds “significant” stakes in both Silver Lake and Affinity Partners, meaning that in reality the Public Investment Fund will effectively own the US publisher outright.

Andrew Wilson is set to stay on as the company’s CEO and has insisted that EA’s values will not change once it has new ownership. In a memo to staff, the executive said that the firm’s “mission, values, and commitment to players and fans around the world remain unchanged,” adding that “EA will maintain creative control, and our track record of creative freedom and player-first values will remain intact.”