The short version

  • The European Commission approved the Electronic Arts acquisition under EU merger rules on July 23, 2026, finding it “would not raise competition concerns”
  • The buyer consortium: Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (lead), Silver Lake, and Jared Kushner’s Affinity Partners
  • Deal value: $55 billion — the largest leveraged buyout in history, announced back in September 2025
  • One EU step remains: a separate review under the Foreign Subsidies Regulation, with a decision due by July 30, 2026
  • EA’s catalog includes EA Sports FC, Battlefield, Apex Legends, The Sims, Mass Effect, and Dragon Age

The biggest acquisition in gaming history just cleared its biggest regulatory gate: the European Commission has approved the $55 billion take-private of Electronic Arts under its merger rules.

What was approved, and what wasn’t

The July 23 decision covers the EU’s standard merger review — the Commission looked at the competitive effects of PIF, Silver Lake, and Affinity Partners jointly owning EA and concluded the deal raises no competition concerns. That’s not the finish line: the Commission is separately examining the transaction under the Foreign Subsidies Regulation (the newer rulebook for state-backed money in EU markets, very relevant when the lead buyer is a sovereign wealth fund), with that decision due by July 30. Only after that does the EU’s part of the deal close out.

Why it matters

Whichever side of the debate you’re on, this is the sovereign-wealth era of gaming arriving at full scale: the same fund that bankrolls the Esports World Cup would own the publisher behind EA Sports FC, Battlefield, and Apex Legends outright. A $55 billion leveraged buyout also means EA carries new debt into private ownership — worth watching what that does to studio budgets, live-service priorities, and the franchises the community actually plays. The July 30 foreign-subsidies decision is the next date on the calendar.

Sources: Reuters via Yahoo Finance — Saudi PIF’s $55 billion EA deal approved under EU merger rules, EA — Agreement to be acquired by PIF, Silver Lake and Affinity Partners for $55 billion (September 2025 announcement), GodisaGeek — EU Approves Saudi-Led $55 Billion Electronic Arts Acquisition Under Merger Rules