Videogame Maker EA Going Private at $50-B Valuation

Electronic Arts, the videogame publisher behind titles such as FC and Battlefield, is in advanced talks to go private at a valuation of roughly $50 billion, according to sources familiar with the matter, Milana Vinn and Zaheer Kachwala reported for Reuters

The take-private offer comes at a crucial time for EA. (Photo: EA)

A group of investors including private equity firm Silver Lake, Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, and Jared Kushner’s Affinity Partners could unveil a deal for the publisher as soon as next week, the sources said.

If completed, it would mark the largest leveraged buyout in history.

The take-private offer comes at a crucial time for EA, which is betting heavily on its core sports portfolio and action shooter franchises to withstand a sluggish videogame market.

EA’s hopes rest on Battlefield 6, the latest installment in the franchise praised by fans for its visuals and intense combat and expected to sell millions of copies, as well as on its soccer title FC 26.

The deal would mark further consolidation in the industry, after giants such as Activision Blizzard and Zynga were absorbed by larger firms, reducing the number of publicly listed videogame publishers.