EA have gone private, as Saudi Arabia and Jared Kushner's investment groups complete their $55 billion acquisition

Three investment groups, including Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, Silver Lake, and Jared Kushner's Affinity Partners, have completed a $55 billion acquisition of EA Sports FC, Battlefield, The Sims, Mass Effect, and Dragon Age publisher EA. The deal, disclosed by EA to the US Securities and Exchange Commission, has no opposition from the European Commission. Kushner, the son-in-law of President Donald Trump, expressed excitement about supporting the company's growth and inspiring new creators through play.

The acquisition marks EA's transformation into a private company, now solely guided by the priorities of the three investment groups. The announcement raised concerns among unionized workers at EA about possible job losses or studio closures, with the United Videogame Workers CWA warning that such actions would be a choice, not a necessity, aimed at enriching investors. They were especially worried about the future of studios deemed less profitable, despite their significant contributions to the video game industry.

Furthermore, LGBTQIA+ players expressed concerns due to EA's popular games, including The Sims, Mass Effect, and Dragon Age, which are cherished within various queer communities. The Sims team reassured fans of minimal changes to the game's diversity and pledged strong opposition to any attempts to reduce it. A developer on The Sims reassured fans that there were no plans to mandate a reduction in diversity and vowed to fight against such actions.