Electronic Arts has finalised its $55bn (£41bn) sale to a buyer group including Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund and Affinity Partners, with Jared Kushner among the investors, according to BBC. The deal takes EA private, so its shares will be bought out and the company will no longer trade on a stock exchange.
BBC reported the transaction is thought to be the largest leveraged buyout in history and the second-biggest acquisition in gaming history, after Microsoft’s $69bn purchase of Activision Blizzard. EA chief executive Andrew Wilson will keep his job, while the company said it plans to create transformative experiences for future generations. EA generated $7.5bn in revenue last year, and Battlefield 6 sold more than 7 million copies in its first three days.