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EA Is Now a Private Company. A $700 Million Cost-Cutting Plan Comes Next.

The $55 billion buyout by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, Silver Lake and Jared Kushner's Affinity Partners officially closed August 4. EA hasn't confirmed layoffs, but its new owners have signaled deep cost cuts are coming.

Meridians Tech Desk

Published 29 August 2026 · Updated 29 August 2026 · 4 min read

EA Is Now a Private Company. A $700 Million Cost-Cutting Plan Comes Next.Gaming
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The short answer

  • Electronic Arts' $55 billion take-private acquisition by PIF (93.4%), Silver Lake (5.5%) and Affinity Partners (1.1%) closed August 4, 2026; shareholders were paid $210 per share in cash and EA was delisted from Nasdaq.
  • CEO Andrew Wilson stays on; Cam Weber becomes President and Chief Studios Officer and David Tinson becomes President and COO, according to EA's own announcement.
  • EA has not confirmed specific layoffs, but the deal reportedly targets roughly $700 million in cost savings, including $170 million from "organizational efficiencies," per Bloomberg reporting cited by GameSpot.
  • The buyout leaves EA carrying a reported $18 billion in new debt, which analysts say adds pressure for cost cuts across its studios.

Electronic Arts is no longer a public company. The $55 billion take-private deal that was announced last September closed August 4, 2026, according to EA's own announcement, ending the company's run on Nasdaq and handing control to a consortium led by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund.

Who owns EA now

  • Public Investment Fund (PIF): 93.4% ownership
  • Silver Lake: 5.5%
  • Affinity Partners (Jared Kushner's firm): 1.1%
  • Shareholders were paid $210 per share in cash, a 25% premium over the pre-announcement stock price
  • Andrew Wilson remains Chairman and CEO; Cam Weber is now President and Chief Studios Officer; David Tinson is now President and Chief Operating Officer

“We're entering this next chapter from a position of strength with partners who share our vision and ambition.”

Andrew Wilson, EA Chairman and CEO, in EA's official announcement

What comes next

EA's own announcement doesn't mention layoffs or cost targets. But Bloomberg has reported the deal is structured around roughly $700 million in cost savings, including $170 million specifically from what the company calls "organizational efficiencies" — corporate language that typically means staff reductions. The buyout also added a reported $18 billion in debt to EA's balance sheet, which analysts say increases the financial pressure to find those savings quickly, particularly across its studio portfolio.

Sources

Every factual claim above is traceable to these documents. Check them — that is why they are here.

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