American video game company headquartered in Redwood City, California and founded in May 1982 by former Apple employee Trip Hawkins, Electronic Arts (EA), is in advanced discussions to be taken private in a buyout worth around $50 billion.
The buyers would be a group led by Silver Lake, a tech-focused private equity firm, and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, which has been steadily increasing its presence in global gaming and entertainment.
Electronic Arts is most recognized for its yearly sports releases, including Madden NFL, FIFA, and NBA Live, along with its popular franchises video game series such as The Sims, Battlefield, Need for Speed, and Star Wars.
EA published numerous games and some productivity software for personal computers, all of which were developed by external individuals or groups until 1987's Skate or Die! The company shifted toward internal game studios, often through acquisitions, such as Distinctive Software becoming EA Canada in 1991.
But we're not here to discuss the history though. The structure being discussed is a leveraged buyout, meaning a significant part of the purchase price—over $20 billion—would be financed through debt. That’s one of the reasons the deal is drawing so much attention, because if it goes through, it would be among the largest leveraged buyouts ever attempted.
Investors clearly reacted: after the news broke that EA could be going private, stocks jumped 15% on Friday afternoon. This shows optimism about the company’s valuation and future. For now, though, none of the parties involved—EA, Silver Lake, or PIF—have confirmed anything publicly, which means we’re still in the realm of reported negotiations, not a signed deal.
