Electronic Arts acquisition by Saudi Public Investment Fund moves toward EU approval

European Union regulators are expected to give unconditional approval to the $55 billion takeover of Electronic Arts by a Saudi‑led consortium, ending the preliminary competition review on July 22 and a separate foreign‑subsidies assessment on July 30. The deal, announced in September 2025, will give the Public Investment Fund (PIF) about a 93.4 % stake in EA, making it the dominant owner, with Silver Lake and Affinity Partners holding smaller shares.

The consortium will pay $210 per share in cash, financed by roughly $36 billion of equity from the investors and about $20 billion of debt arranged by JPMorgan Chase, of which $18 billion is expected to be drawn at closing. Shareholders approved the transaction in December 2025. Saudi Arabia has previously invested in gaming firms such as SNK, Capcom and esports organizer RTS, raising questions about possible future content censorship.

If cleared, the acquisition will become the largest all‑cash leveraged buyout in history and could reshape the global gaming market under Saudi control.