EA has released an official statement on its future after the $55 million deal to go private, saying the buyout won’t affect its mission or values. The deal has been subject to much speculation once news of it broke, with many industry insiders and fans alike questioning what it might mean for the company and gaming as a whole. While the future may still be uncertain, EA wants to reassure people that not much is changing.
In late September, EA confirmed it was going private in a $55 million deal, marking the largest leveraged buyout in history. Should the acquisition get regulatory approval, the gaming giant will be owned by a consortium consisting of two U.S. private equity groups and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF). It’s a massive change in ownership, as EA is currently a public company, but its leaders insist that it won’t mean a similar change in its work or employee considerations.
EA Says It Will “Maintain Creative Control” After Buyout
In a proxy statement filed with the SEC, EA offered its employees an FAQ about the privatization deal, reassuring them that its “mission, values, and commitment to players and fans around the world remain unchanged.” The statement says that EA will “maintain creative control” over its current and future IPs, claiming that the investor group is buying the company because it believes in its creative vision. This clarification comes as EA has faced public backlash for the deal, with some politicians calling the sale to the PIF a matter of national security, and while it doesn’t directly address these concerns, it emphasizes that things will remain largely the same for employees and fans.
This isn’t the first bit of post-buyout reassurance EA has offered. As speculation rose about how things might change for EA titles going forward, the Sims 4 team messaged some content creators that it would remain committed to diversity. Censorship and diversity have been big topics of conversation of late, as the Saudi Arabian government’s involvement has made some fans question how EA might approach these issues in the future.
Aside from reiterating EA’s commitment to the same values, the new FAQ also addresses the possibility of layoffs. Firings are common after mergers and acquisitions in any industry, and EA has already downsized multiple studios in 2025. However, the official statement says “there will be no immediate changes” to jobs, teams, or daily work within EA after the deal goes through. Some shifts are virtually inevitable after such a massive shift, but if EA’s official FAQ proves accurate, fans and workers can rest easy for now.
- Date Founded
-
May 27, 1982
- Headquarters
-
Redwood City, California, United States
- CEO
-
Andrew Wilson
Source: SEC
