The Shocking News and I’m Low-Key Freaking out
Okay so this is actually insane. EA Sports – like, THE company that makes Madden, FIFA (well it’s called EA Sports FC now but whatever), and basically every sports game you’ve ever played – just got bought for FIFTY-FIVE BILLION DOLLARS.
Yeah, you read that right. $55 BILLION. That’s like… I can’t even comprehend that number tbh.
So here’s what happened: Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund teamed up with some private equity company called Silver Lake and this other firm run by Jared Kushner (yeah, THAT Jared Kushner, the former president’s son-in-law… wild) and they all just bought EA. The whole thing. It’s apparently the biggest leveraged buyout in history or something.
EA shareholders are getting $210 per share in cash, which is like a 25% premium, so they’re probably pretty happy. But for us gamers? I honestly don’t know how to feel.
What This Actually Means
EA is going private, which means it won’t be traded on the stock market anymore. The deal is supposed to close sometime in 2026. Andrew Wilson (the CEO) is staying, and they’re saying everything will stay the same and blah blah blah, but like… will it though?
Here’s the thing that’s got me worried. Saudi Arabia has been buying up EVERYTHING in sports lately – golf, soccer teams, Formula 1, you name it. And now they literally own the company that makes the video games about those sports. That’s kind of crazy when you think about it.
The Good (Maybe?)
Some people are saying this could actually be good because EA has been kinda trash lately ngl. Like, the microtransactions are insane, the games are basically copy-paste every year, and they shut down studios for no reason. So MAYBE having new owners who aren’t obsessed with quarterly earnings reports could mean they’ll actually make the games better?
More resources could mean better games and bigger budgets. And like, if they’re taking it private, maybe they won’t be as focused on squeezing every dollar out of us with loot boxes and stuff?
The Bad (Probably)
But here’s where it gets messy. They took on $20 billion in debt to finance this deal. TWENTY. BILLION. That’s… that’s a LOT of debt. And when companies have that much debt, they usually start cutting costs, which means layoffs and closing studios.
People are already worried about BioWare (the studio that makes Mass Effect and Dragon Age). There’s talk they might get shut down because they haven’t had a huge hit in a while and because, well… Saudi Arabia isn’t exactly known for being progressive, and BioWare makes games with LGBTQ+ characters and storylines. That’s genuinely concerning.
The Ugly
Look, I’m just gonna say it – this whole thing feels kinda weird. Saudi Arabia has a… questionable human rights record. And now they own the company that makes games that millions of kids play. Game developers are already pushing back, saying workers weren’t represented when the deal was negotiated.
Plus there’s just something that feels off about a government essentially controlling what happens in our video games. Like, will EA Sports FC suddenly feature Saudi leagues way more? Will certain content get censored? Idk man.
My Take
Honestly? I’m gonna keep playing the games because what else am I gonna do, switch to PES? (lol jk). But I’m definitely gonna be watching this situation closely.
Part of me hopes this means EA finally gets its act together and starts making games that aren’t just cash grabs. But another part of me is worried this is gonna make things way worse, with more focus on live services and sports games while the creative stuff gets axed.
I guess we’ll see what happens when the deal closes in 2026. Until then, I’m just gonna enjoy College Football 26 and hope they don’t completely ruin everything I love about these games.
What do you guys think? Am I overreacting or is this actually as big of a deal as it seems? Drop your thoughts in the comments.
UPDATE: Just saw that the Saudi fund is apparently “unable to allocate any more money” after this deal. So like… they literally spent everything they could on EA? That’s either really bullish on gaming or really stupid. Time will tell I guess.