EA Quells Fears and Says It Will Retain Creative Control If Saudi-Backed Buyout Proceeds
The purchase of Electronic Arts (EA) by a group of investors that includes the Public Investment Fund (PIF) of Saudi Arabia, along with investment firms Affinity Partners and Silver Lake, has raised concerns among employees.
Some of these concerns are about the potential influence the PIF could have on the company’s creativity and independence, as well as the possible effects on EA’s staff.
EA Promises Creative Freedom After Saudi Arabia’s Investment
To calm these concerns, EA has released a Q&A document stating that it will maintain creative control and creative freedom if the sale to the investor group goes through. The company adds that its “mission, values, and commitment to players and fans around the world remain unchanged.”
EA insists that the group “believes in our vision, our leadership and our focus on creating games, stories, and content that reflect a range of experiences.” “They’re investing in the creativity that defines EA,” the company added.
The document also addresses questions about potential layoffs following the company’s transition to private ownership. EA claims there will be “no immediate changes”, and that both teams and their daily work will not be affected by the transaction. Another topic discussed in the Q&A is the use of AI, which EA describes as a tool that helps its teams focus on creativity, rethink workflows, and expand their creative power.
However, promises are easy to make on paper. It remains to be seen whether EA will keep its word once the sale to the Saudi-backed investor group is completed. The deal is valued at 55 billion dollars, aiming to take EA private. According to the timeline, the transaction should close during the first quarter of fiscal year 2027 (April to June 2026).
The PIF already has stakes in several gaming companies, but it has never made such a large offer for a major publisher before. Saudi Arabia already owns SNK and Scopely, and it also holds shares in Nintendo, Embracer, Capcom, and Take-Two.
In related news, the general manager of Battlefield Studios called generative AI “very seductive” but confirmed that Battlefield 6 only used it in the early development phase, not in the final game’s gameplay. Speaking of Battlefield 6, did you know that some of the items listed in the Season1 patch notes weren’t applied with the Season 1 update? Check out what a dev had to say about it.
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Such BS. We already know the Saudi’s will never allow strong female characters in games, they will remove all traces of inclusion and representation from projects currently in the early stages of production. Sure, EA will keep the ability to create any game they want, but won’t be allowed to go against Sharia law.