Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund and Jared Kushner's Affinity Partners have finalized their $55 billion deal for Electronic Arts, according to CNBC, closing out one of the largest acquisitions in the history of the games industry.

The figure anchors a transaction that dwarfs prior benchmarks for game company buyouts and puts Saudi sovereign capital, alongside a US private equity firm led by the former White House adviser, in direct control of one of the industry's largest publishers.

What does the closing change for EA?

EA now exits public markets under a new ownership structure built around PIF and Affinity. For the publisher's development teams, sports franchises and licensing operations, the immediate operational question is continuity: staffing plans, studio investment and the annual release cadence around EA Sports properties now sit under private owners with long investment horizons.

For partners and licensees — sports leagues, player associations and platform holders — a finalized deal means contract counterparties remain in place, but with a materially different capital base behind them. Sovereign fund ownership also raises governance questions that public shareholders no longer arbitrate.

Why does the money matter?

At $55 billion, the transaction sets a headline benchmark for how large game publishers are now valued in strategic buyouts. That number will shape:

• Comparable valuations for other large publishers with sports and live-service portfolios
• Expectations for what Gulf sovereign funds will pay for Western entertainment assets
• The premium range private buyers must clear to take major game companies private

PIF has already built significant positions across games and esports through its Savvy Games Group vehicle and direct equity stakes. A controlling deal at this scale moves the fund from portfolio investor to owner.

What comes next?

Watch for the first structural decisions from the new owners: leadership appointments at EA, any statements on studio headcount, and how the company handles its sports licensing renewals going forward. Each signal will indicate whether the $55 billion buyout translates into expansion, consolidation or steady-state operation of EA's portfolio.