EA expect their $55 billion sale to Saudi Arabia and private equity firms to close next week, with "all regulatory approvals required" in place

Pending immoderate unexpected issues cropping up

About a week connected from getting the thumbs up from the European Commission, the $55 cardinal leveraged buyout which volition spot Saudi Arabia, Silver Lake and Jared Kushner-founded concern steadfast Affinity Partners go the caller owners of EA and instrumentality it backstage is expected to adjacent adjacent week, the institution person announced.

As of July 30th, 2026, each regulatory approvals required to implicit the merger person been obtained," EA wrote successful a filing to the US Securities and Exchange Commission. "Electronic Arts presently expects the merger to adjacent connected oregon astir the adjacent of trading connected August 4th, 2026. Completion of the merger remains taxable to the restitution oregon waiver of the remaining customary closing conditions acceptable distant successful the merger agreement."

So, beauteous overmuch a done woody pending immoderate unforeseen hiccups oregon issues close astatine the past minute. Lavishly compensated EA CEO Andrew Wilson is expected to enactment successful complaint erstwhile the woody goes through, but the cardinal question is what it'll mean for the workers astir the satellite who marque the games which lend to the monolithic amounts of currency shovelled into Wilson's pockets connected a yearly basis.

"Every clip backstage equity oregon billionaire investors instrumentality a workplace private, workers suffer visibility, transparency, and power," the United Videogame Workers-CWA national said successful a connection connected the woody successful October past year. "Decisions that signifier our jobs, our art, and our futures are made down closed doors by executives who person ne'er written a enactment of code, built worlds, oregon supported unrecorded services. We are calling connected regulators and elected officials to scrutinize this woody and guarantee that immoderate way guardant protects jobs, preserves originative freedom, and keeps decision-making accountable to the workers who marque EA successful."

Earlier this year, 46 US lawmakers signed a missive to the Federal Trade Commission expressing akin concerns. Developers connected bid similar The Sims person said they'd combat immoderate orders from connected precocious to trim diverseness successful EA games that mightiness get successful the aftermath of the deal, fixed the Saudi Arabian state's cognition towards and treatement of LGBT people.

The country's ruling authorities person a unspeakable quality rights grounds which Amnesty International mention arsenic including "arbitrary" detention and execution of radical simply expressing their opinions, maltreatment of migrant workers, and favoritism against women. They're besides believed by the CIA to person been liable for the execution of writer Jamal Khashoggi.