This transition signifies the conclusion of EA’s 35 years as a publicly traded entity.
Electronic Arts has announced that it will finalize its $55 billion acquisition and transition to a private company by August 4, according to a recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The acquisition involves the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund (PIF), Silver Lake, and Affinity Partners, and stands as the largest leveraged buyout to date.
“All regulatory approvals necessary to complete the merger have been obtained as of July 30, 2026,” the company stated. “We anticipate that the merger will conclude around the close of trading on August 4, 2026.” CEO Andrew Wilson will continue to lead the company, which will maintain its headquarters in Redwood City, California.
This deal, which closes slightly later than initially scheduled, marks the end of Electronic Arts’ tenure as a publicly traded company over the past 35 years. Like many in the gaming sector, EA has faced various challenges, leading to employee layoffs, cancellations of upcoming titles, studio closures, and the shelving of the Need for Speed franchise.
Despite these challenges, the company has recently enjoyed success with Battlefield 6, which has become a significant hit since its October release. With revenue reaching $7.5 billion last year, Electronic Arts stands as one of the leading gaming companies, boasting popular franchises like EA Sports, The Sims, Madden NFL, Titanfall, and EA Sports FC. Notably, EA ended its partnership with FIFA soccer in 2023, an interesting development following FIFA’s recent difficulties in its private equity pursuits.
