Who Owns Electronic Arts?

Electronic Arts was founded in 1982 by Trip Hawkins in Los Altos, California. Hawkins, a former Apple marketing director, started the company with a vision of treating games as an art form and establishing a new standard for game publishing. The company's early focus was on developing games for personal computers, including titles like Pinball Construction Set and M.U.L.E.

EA went public on NASDAQ in 1989, raising capital to fund expansion. Throughout the 1990s, EA grew to become one of the largest video game publishers in the world. The company published successful franchises including Madden NFL (first released in 1988), FIFA (first released in 1993), and The Sims (first released in 2000). EA expanded through acquisitions of game studios including Origin Systems (1992), Bullfrog Productions (1995), Maxis (1997), and Westwood Studios (1998).

In the 2000s, EA continued acquiring major studios including BioWare and Pandemic Studios in 2008 (for $860 million), DICE (2006), and Criterion Games (2004). The company became known for its EA Sports division, which publishes Madden NFL, FIFA, and other sports titles. EA also developed major non-sports franchises including Battlefield, Mass Effect, Dragon Age, and Need for Speed.

During the 2010s, EA faced criticism for its studio management practices. The company acquired and then closed several studios, including Origin Systems, Bullfrog Productions, Westwood Studios, and Visceral Games (closed in 2017). This pattern earned EA the nickname "Evil Empire" within the gaming community. EA received the Consumerist "Worst Company in America" award twice, in 2012 and 2013, due to customer service issues, aggressive monetization, and perceived anti-consumer practices.

EA also faced significant controversy over loot boxes in its FIFA Ultimate Team mode. Class action lawsuits alleged that EA structured loot boxes to conceal the low probability of obtaining high-value items, encouraging repeated purchases. Advocacy groups called for FTC investigations, and several countries including Belgium and the Netherlands investigated or banned loot box mechanics.

In 2023, EA ended its licensing relationship with FIFA following a dispute over licensing fees and rights. The company rebranded its flagship soccer game as EA Sports FC, starting with EA Sports FC 24. Despite the rebranding, the game retained its core gameplay, licenses, and modes, and the transition was generally well-received by players.

In fiscal year 2026 (ended March 31, 2026), EA reported record results. Net revenue was $7.531 billion, up 1% year over year. Net bookings reached $8.026 billion. The October 2025 release of Battlefield 6 broke franchise records, selling over 7 million copies in its first three days. Despite this success, EA implemented layoffs affecting teams involved in the Battlefield launch.

At The Game Awards 2025, EA titles received significant recognition. Battlefield 6 won Best Audio Design and was nominated for Best Multiplayer and Best Action Game. EA Sports FC 26 and F1 25 were both nominated for Sports/Racing Game of the Year. Split Fiction received four nominations including Best Game Direction, Best Multiplayer Game, Best Action/Adventure Game, and Best Family Game.

On September 29, 2025, EA announced that it had entered into a definitive agreement to be acquired by the PIF-led consortium. The deal was approved by stockholders on December 22, 2025, and completed on August 4, 2026, making EA a privately held company after 37 years on NASDAQ.