PIF and Silver Lake Take EA Private in Record $55 Billion Debt Deal
Electronic Arts (EA), the maker of popular video games like Battlefield, The Sims, and the Madden NFL series, announced on Monday that it has agreed to be acquired by a consortium led by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) and Silver Lake, along with Affinity Partners, in an all-cash transaction valued at $55 billion. Shareholders of the company will receive $210 per share in cash, according to reports from CNBC and Bloomberg.
Trading of EA shares was halted, with the stock price up approximately 6% before trading commenced. This follows a roughly 15% surge in the company’s shares on Friday, closing at $193.35, after the Wall Street Journal reported that the company was nearing a deal to go private.
The acquisition is expected to be the largest debt-financed leveraged buyout in Wall Street history.
Jared Kushner, CEO of Affinity Partners and son-in-law to President Donald Trump, praised EA’s “bold vision for the future” in a statement announcing the deal. “I’ve been impressed by their ability to innovate unique and lasting experiences, and as someone who grew up playing their games—and now enjoys them with his own children—I couldn’t be more excited for what’s ahead,” Kushner stated.
The PIF will be renewing its existing 9.9% stake in the company as part of this transaction. Silver Lake, led by CEO Egon Durban, is also noted as a key investor in President Donald Trump’s initiative to place TikTok’s ownership under U.S. control. The deal was announced on Monday, September 29, 2025.
