Video game giant Electronic Arts closes $55 billion go-private sale of its business

August 5, 2026 - 23:53

The video game publisher Electronic Arts has officially closed the sale of its business in a massive $55 billion go-private transaction, marking the largest leveraged buyout in private equity history. The deal, which had been rumored for months, was confirmed by the company on Tuesday, ending its four-decade run as a publicly traded entity on the Nasdaq.

Under the terms of the agreement, a consortium led by Silver Lake and KKR acquired all outstanding shares of the Redwood City-based company. Shareholders will receive $132 per share in cash, a premium of nearly 35 percent over the stock's average trading price in the six months before the announcement. The total enterprise value, including assumed debt, pushes the final price tag past the previous record set by the $45 billion take-private of hospital operator HCA Healthcare in 2006.

The new ownership group has stated that current CEO Andrew Wilson will remain in his role, and the company's core franchises, including Madden NFL, FC, and The Sims, will continue to receive full support. However, insiders suggest that the private structure will allow for more aggressive restructuring, including potential divestiture of its mobile gaming division and a renewed push into live-service titles.

Analysts view the move as a bet on the long-term resilience of interactive entertainment, even as development costs soar and player acquisition becomes more expensive. With the deal closed, Electronic Arts will no longer file quarterly earnings reports, and its financial results will be folded into the consortium's private reporting. The transaction is expected to close all regulatory hurdles, including antitrust reviews in the US and Europe, which were cleared without conditions.