Electronic Arts, the US videogame publisher behind Battlefield and FC, is in advanced talks to be taken private at a valuation of roughly $50bn, according to Reuters.

The potential buyer consortium includes Silver Lake, Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), and Jared Kushner’s Affinity Partners. A deal could be announced as soon as next week, sources said. If completed, it would represent the largest leveraged buyout ever recorded.

The move comes as EA relies on upcoming releases such as Battlefield 6 and FC 26 to drive performance in a slower gaming market, where consumers are more selective with spending. Analysts note that EA’s consistent cash flows and annualised titles make it an attractive private equity target.

Shares of EA closed 15% higher on Friday following reports of the talks.

For Saudi Arabia’s PIF, the transaction would deepen its influence in gaming as part of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 diversification strategy. PIF has already made significant investments in publishers and esports through Savvy Games Group.

Silver Lake, one of the world’s largest tech-focused private equity firms, has a track record of major buyouts in technology and media. Affinity Partners, meanwhile, has raised capital from Saudi, Qatari, and Emirati investors for its international investments.

The deal highlights the rebound in large-cap M&A, with falling interest rates and renewed boardroom confidence encouraging private equity firms to pursue scale transactions.

If completed, the acquisition would mark a defining moment in the gaming sector, reducing the number of publicly listed publishers and further consolidating the industry.

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