REDWOOD CITY, Calif. (WDNews) – The Developer behind ‘EA Sports College Football’ has entered into a definitive agreement to be acquired by an investor consortium in an all-cash deal valued at approximately $55 billion.
The deal marks the largest all-cash sponsor take-private investment in history. Officials said the transaction is intended to position Electronic Arts (EA) to accelerate innovation, expand its reach and enhance its role as a global leader in interactive entertainment. It is being bought by PIF, Silver Lake and Affinity Partners.
“Our creative and passionate teams at EA have delivered extraordinary experiences for hundreds of millions of fans, built some of the world’s most iconic IP, and created significant value for our business,” said Andrew Wilson, Chairman and CEO of EA. “Together with our partners, we will create transformative experiences to inspire generations to come.”
Turqi Alnowaiser, Deputy Governor and Head of International Investments at PIF, said the partnership will help drive EA’s long-term growth.
“PIF has demonstrated a strong commitment to these sectors, and this partnership will help further drive EA’s long-term growth, while fueling innovation within the industry on a global scale,” he said.
Egon Durban, Co-CEO of Silver Lake, called EA “a special company” and praised Wilson’s leadership.
“The future for EA is bright, we are going to invest heavily to grow the business and we are excited to support Andrew and the EA team as the company accelerates innovation, expands its reach worldwide, and continues to deliver incredible experiences to players and fans across generations,” Durban said.
Jared Kushner, CEO of Affinity Partners, said he was personally excited by the acquisition.
“Electronic Arts is an extraordinary company with a world-class management team and a bold vision for the future. I’ve admired their ability to create iconic, lasting experiences, and as someone who grew up playing their games – and now enjoys them with his kids – I couldn’t be more excited about what’s ahead,” Kushner said.
