EA Shareholders Vote on Buyout

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Electronic Arts (EA) shareholders have strongly supported the $55 billion acquisition by a group led by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), with over 201 million votes in favor. While this shareholder approval is a significant step, the deal still needs to be reviewed and approved by government regulators.

Okay, so EA’s finally going private after that huge $55 billion deal! It’s all happening thanks to this group backed by Saudi Arabia. Basically, the Public Investment Fund (PIF) is taking the lead with a massive 93.7% ownership. It’s kinda cool actually, because the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman, is a big gamer himself! This isn’t the first time they’ve gotten involved with gaming companies either. They already own most of SNK – the folks who made classics like Fatal Fury and King of Fighters. Plus, they’ve got smaller investments in Nintendo, Take-Two, and Capcom, so they’re clearly serious about the industry.

EA Shareholders Overwhelmingly Say ‘Yes’ to the PIF’s Buyout

As a long-time EA fan, I was really curious to see how the vote would go with the PIF taking over. It’s awesome to hear that the vast majority of shareholders approved the deal! The official numbers show over 201 million votes for the merger, with just under 2 million against. They even voted overwhelmingly in favor of the compensation proposal too. Basically, this clears a huge obstacle for the acquisition to actually happen. The vote took place on December 22nd, and it means EA is going private, which is a big change. The best part? Current shareholders will get a whopping $210 per share, making this the biggest buyout deal ever!

The approval follows a challenging period for the Public Investment Fund (PIF). Reports surfaced earlier this fall that the PIF had limited funds after funding the EA buyout, leading to potential cuts in other investments. Despite these concerns, the PIF maintains that the EA acquisition is a long-term investment expected to eventually double in value. Prior to the public announcement of the EA deal, in November 2024, the PIF had already decreased its ownership in Nintendo, reducing its stake from 7.5% to 6.3%.

EA’s Deal May Not Be Done Just Yet

Now that shareholders have approved the purchase of EA by the Public Investment Fund (PIF), Silver Lake, and Affinity Partners, the deal faces a new challenge: government approval. US officials have already expressed concerns, and in October 2025, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Richard Blumenthal wrote to the Treasury Department, warning that the acquisition could pose a national security risk. They highlighted EA’s financial instability and the potential for the Saudi government to gain access to user data both in the US and internationally.

To reassure fans and investors, EA has stated that CEO Andrew Wilson will keep his job if the acquisition is finalized, and the company will continue to have complete creative freedom. It remains to be seen how the acquisition process will unfold when Congress returns from its break in 2026.

Sources: Bloomberg (via PC Gamer)

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2025-12-25 04:09