Video game giant Electronic Arts closes $55 billion go-private sale of its business
- Electronic Arts has officially closed a $55 billion sale of its business to Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund PIF, Silver Lake Partners, and Affinity Partners.
- The acquisition is the largest-ever for a buyout funded by private equity.
- EA's new owners plan to invest heavily in the company's growth and innovation, including the use of artificial intelligence in game development.
- The deal involved $20 billion in debt financing, which may lead to layoffs and cost-cutting measures.
- EA's stock is no longer trading on the public market, and shareholders will receive $210 in cash per share.
Electronic Arts has officially closed a $55 billion sale of its business to Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund PIF, investment firm Silver Lake Partners, and Affinity Partners, which is run by Jared Kushner. This acquisition marks the largest-ever buyout funded by private equity.
CEO Andrew Wilson stated that EA and its new owners would invest boldly and accelerate innovation to build the next generation of games. Turqi Alnowaiser from PIF also pledged to invest heavily in EA's growth, particularly through artificial intelligence in game development.
However, the deal involved $20 billion in debt financing, which could lead to significant layoffs and cost-cutting measures. EA's stock is no longer trading on the public market, and shareholders will receive $210 in cash per share.
视频游戏巨头电子艺界完成550亿美元私有化交易
电子艺界已正式完成与沙特阿拉伯主权财富基金PIF、银湖合伙人和由贾里德·库什纳领导的Affinity Partners的550亿美元交易。这笔收购是私募股权融资中最大的一笔交易。
首席执行官安德鲁·威尔逊表示，EA及其新东家将大胆投资，加速创新，打造下一代游戏。PIF的土耳其·阿尔诺维泽也承诺在EA的增长方面进行大量投资，特别是在游戏开发中使用人工智能。
然而，该交易涉及200亿美元的债务融资，可能导致重大裁员和削减成本措施。EA的股票不再在公开市场交易，股东将每股获得210美元现金。