Maxis stresses “values have not changed” following $55bn EA acquisition

Maxis has emphasised its “values have not changed” following the $55 billion acquisition of Electronic Arts by an investor consortium, which includes the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund.

In a blog post published last Friday (January 9), the Sims team said its “creative control, guided by [its] values of inclusivity, choice, creativity, community, and play,” will not be affected by the acquisition.

The developer linked to a dedicated values page, which details how it will continue to reflect the spectrum of identity and self-expression “so every player feels seen and celebrated.”

Maxis also stressed it will maintain and develop features “that let all players create Sims they feel connected to, and explore their identities, without judgement.”

It also provided an update on the future of the franchise, emphasising that The Sims is built on “single-player life simulation” and that this “foundation isn’t going anywhere.”

“Single-player PC and console experiences will always be a part of our future, with more than half of our global development team dedicated to The Sims 4 and the next evolution,” the developer said.

Upcoming Sims game Project Rene will be a mobile-first game, focused on a multiplayer system.

In September 2025, the Saudi Arabia PIF, Silver Lake Capital, and Affinity Partners announced its plan to acquire EA for $55 billion.

The deal was approved by EA shareholders last month. Once it closed, the PIF will own 93.4% of the US developer and publisher.

EA CEO Andrew Wilson insisted that the company’s values won’t change under the new ownership and that it “will maintain creative control.”