On September 29, EA (Electronic Arts) announced its $55 billion acquisition by private investors.
The gaming company behind best-selling franchises like Mass Effect, The Sims, and EA FC (formerly FIFA) has been sold for $55 billion to investors Affinity Partners, Silver Lake, and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF). They will acquire 100% of Electronic Arts, as EA becomes a private company, meaning that current shareholders will receive $210 per share at a 25% premium.
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EA issued a press release detailing the acquisition, which they say “positions EA to accelerate innovation and growth to build the future of entertainment.”
“PIF, Silver Lake, and Affinity Partners bring deep sector experience, committed capital, and global portfolios with networks across gaming, entertainment, and sports that offer unique possibilities for EA to blend physical and digital experiences, enhance fan engagement, and create new growth opportunities.”
However, the acquisition has been met with criticism and concern over the company’s reported plans to utilise AI to reduce costs. In 2024, EA already let go of 5% of its staff: about 670 jobs in total.
EA’s studio BioWare (responsible for Mass Effect and Dragon Age) is particularly concerned about mass layoffs, especially after losing staff members due to EA’s disappointment with the performance of Dragon Age: The Veilguard. At the beginning of 2025, there were fewer than 100 employees left, compared to over 200 two years prior.
The announcement also received backlash due to PIF’s involvement, which is controlled by Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman; Human Rights Watch has accused PIF of “facilitat[ing] and benefit[ing] from human rights abuses”. PIF already had investments in EA (at 9.9%) as well as other gaming companies, such as Nintendo and Ubisoft; however, this acquisition marks a significant change, as it is the largest private equity-funded buyout in history.
This shift from public to private has also raised concerns within the The Sims community. Players worry about the future of diversity in the game (particularly around LGBTQ+ characters and gameplay), considering PIF’s involvement and other investors’ affiliations with conservative politics; Jared Kushner, Donald Trump’s son-in-law, owns Affinity Partners, for example.
According to The Sims Community, EA employees have reportedly voiced their concerns anonymously about potential lay-offs as well as the buyout feeling like an “‘f you’ to all women and LGBTQ employees at EA with this deal”.
Popular Sims YouTuber, Lilsimsie, stated on her Instagram story that she is “deeply worried about the future of The Sims with EA now being owned by such a conservative group.”
“The Sims has been a very inclusive game for a long time, and it horrifies me to think of them rolling back any of that progress or somehow censoring the game.”
EA’s CEO Andrew Wilson has said: “Our values and our commitment to players and fans around the world remain unchanged”
Words by Alice Bennett
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