December 07, 2025
Saudi Arabia’s Investment Fund Expected to Control Nearly All of EA After Record Buyout New reports reveal the Public Investment Fund’s majority stake could exceed 93% once the acquisition closes.
Saudi Arabia’s Takeover of EA: What the Latest Reports Reveal
The historic acquisition of Electronic Arts continues to spark conversation across the gaming industry — and new regulatory filings are now indicating just how significant Saudi Arabia’s role will be in EA’s future.
🏢 PIF to Own Over 93% of EA
A recent Wall Street Journal report points to antitrust filings in Brazil showing that Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) will hold 93.4% of Electronic Arts once the buyout is finalized.
The deal includes:
- PIF — 93.4%
- Silver Lake — 5.5%
- Affinity Partners — 1.1%
Securing that massive share will reportedly require the PIF to invest $29 billion, aided by the fund’s existing $5.2 billion stake in EA. Once the deal closes, EA will officially become a privately owned company, removing its public stock from trading altogether.
🌍 A Growing Presence in Global Gaming
This acquisition continues a strong push from Saudi Arabia into the gaming and esports space. The country has already:
- Become a major shareholder in Nintendo
- Hosted the annual Esports World Cup
- Previously reached a deal to host the Olympic Esports Games (later canceled)
The takeover of EA — one of the most influential publishers in the world — marks the largest move yet in this strategy.
⚖️ Regulatory Concerns & National Debate
While the buyout is moving forward, global approvals are still required before completion. Authorities in several major markets will need to sign off due to EA’s international footprint.
Potential roadblocks include:
- U.S. senators raising national security concerns
- Fears about access to sensitive player data
- Broader scrutiny of foreign influence over media and entertainment
Given the complexity involved, the deal could take years to fully settle, similar to Microsoft’s long journey acquiring Activision Blizzard.
🕹️ What Could This Mean for Gamers?
With so much of EA’s future controlled by a single international entity, the gaming community is left with big questions:
- Will EA’s major franchises change direction?
- Will investment lead to more games — or tighter control?
- How will esports and cross-media ventures evolve under new leadership?
For now, EA has not announced any shifts to its roadmap — but industry watchers agree the implications could be wide-reaching.
🧠 Final Thoughts
Saudi Arabia securing nearly all of EA’s ownership signals the start of a major shift in global gaming power. While it remains unclear how this will impact day-to-day development or player experiences, the industry is watching closely as the deal progresses through regulatory channels.
As more official documents surface, we’ll gain a clearer picture of how one of gaming’s biggest companies will operate under its new owners.