The PIF's $55 billion power play

The acquisition of Electronic Arts (EA) by a consortium led by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF), the most significant transaction in the history of the video game industry, is taking longer than anticipated to close, sources indicate.

The $55 billion takeover, announced last year, brings together three heavyweight investors: the PIF, the sovereign wealth fund chaired by Yasir Al-Rumayyan that has been aggressively expanding into global entertainment and sports; Affinity Partners, the private equity firm founded by Jared Kushner, son-in-law of President Donald Trump; and Silver Lake, one of America's most prominent technology-focused investment funds.

The deal represents not only the largest acquisition in gaming history but also the biggest single investment ever undertaken by the PIF, a fund that has already made its presence felt in golf, football, tennis, boxing and Formula One.

EA by the Numbers

The target is no small prize. Electronic Arts claims 700 million players worldwide and posted revenues exceeding $7 billion in 2025. 

The company's portfolio includes some of the world's most recognisable gaming franchises: FIFA/EA Sports FC, Madden NFL, The Sims, Apex Legends, Battlefield and Need for Speed, titles that generate billions in annual revenue and command fiercely loyal global audiences.

Once the deal closes, the PIF is expected to hold approximately 93.4% of EA's capital, with Silver Lake and Affinity Partners retaining minority stakes. 

The structure effectively hands Riyadh control of one of the world's most powerful entertainment companies, a move that fits squarely within Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 strategy of diversifying its economy away from oil and establishing itself as a global hub for sport, culture and digital entertainment.

While initial estimates pointed to a closing by end of June, regulatory hurdles and the complexity of a transaction of this magnitude appear to have pushed the timeline back. 

Antitrust reviews in multiple jurisdictions, including the United States and the European Union, typically accompany deals of this scale, and the involvement of a sovereign wealth fund with close ties to the Saudi royal family adds an additional layer of geopolitical scrutiny.

EA's acquisition is the latest - and most dramatic - chapter in Saudi Arabia's systematic push into global entertainment. The PIF already owns a controlling stake in Newcastle United, co-owns LIV Golf, has invested heavily in Formula One and esports, and is building an entirely new entertainment city near Riyadh.

Adding EA to that portfolio would give the kingdom direct access to 700 million gamers worldwide , a soft power asset of extraordinary reach, particularly among the young demographics that Saudi Arabia is most eager to engage as it seeks to reshape its global image.