Electronic Arts

Who owns Electronic Arts?
Electronic Arts is owned by a consortium of Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF), Silver Lake, and Affinity Partners. The $55 billion acquisition was completed on August 4, 2026. PIF owns approximately 93.4% of the company. Former EA stockholders received $210 in cash per share. Andrew Wilson continues as Chairman and CEO.

Is Electronic Arts publicly traded?
No. Electronic Arts ceased trading on NASDAQ following the completion of its acquisition on August 4, 2026. The company was previously listed under the ticker EA from its IPO in 1989 until the acquisition closed. EA is now a privately held company and is no longer required to report quarterly financial results publicly.

Who is the CEO of Electronic Arts?
Andrew Wilson serves as Chairman and CEO of Electronic Arts, a position he has held since 2013. Wilson previously served as head of EA Sports. He is partnering with Cam Weber as President and Chief Studios Officer and David Tinson as President and Chief Operating Officer to lead the company through its transition to private ownership.

When was Electronic Arts founded?
Electronic Arts was founded in May 1982 by Trip Hawkins in San Mateo, California. Hawkins had previously worked at Apple Computer and founded EA with the vision of treating game developers as artists. The company went public on NASDAQ in 1989 and was taken private in August 2026 through the $55 billion acquisition.

What is Electronic Arts' annual revenue?
Electronic Arts reported FY2026 (ended March 31, 2026) net revenue of $7.53 billion, up 1% year-over-year, and record net bookings of $8.03 billion, up 9% year-over-year. Net income was $887 million with diluted EPS of $3.51. Operating cash flow was $2.55 billion, up 23% year-over-year. As a private company, EA will no longer be required to report quarterly financial results.

What brands does Electronic Arts own?
EA owns major gaming franchises including EA Sports FC (formerly FIFA), Madden NFL, College Football, The Sims, Apex Legends, Battlefield, Need for Speed, Star Wars Jedi, Dragon Age, Mass Effect, EA Sports F1, Titanfall, and Plants vs. Zombies. The company also owns development studios including DICE, Respawn Entertainment, Maxis, and BioWare.

What happened to Electronic Arts in 2026?
On August 4, 2026, Electronic Arts completed its acquisition by a consortium of PIF, Silver Lake, and Affinity Partners for $55 billion, making it the largest leveraged buyout in history. The company became privately held and was delisted from NASDAQ. Andrew Wilson continues as Chairman and CEO. The acquisition was announced on September 29, 2025 and approved by stockholders on December 22, 2025.

What controversies has Electronic Arts faced?
EA has faced criticism for loot box and microtransaction mechanics in its sports games, with some countries classifying certain mechanics as gambling. The $55 billion acquisition by PIF drew scrutiny due to Saudi Arabia's growing influence in gaming and sports, and the involvement of Jared Kushner's Affinity Partners. Despite Battlefield 6's record-breaking launch, layoffs followed for development teams, drawing criticism. EA has also faced lawsuits over sports licensing exclusivity agreements.

Trip Hawkins founded Electronic Arts in May 1982 in San Mateo, California. Hawkins had previously worked at Apple Computer and conceived EA as a company that would treat game developers as artists, similar to how record labels treat musicians. The company's early marketing materials featured developer photographs and biographies, a novel approach in an industry where developers were typically anonymous.

EA's early titles were published for the Apple II, Atari 8-bit computers, and Commodore 64. The company went public in 1989, listing on NASDAQ. Through the late 1980s and 1990s, EA expanded through both internal development and acquisitions, building a portfolio of sports simulation games and acquiring studios including Bullfrog Productions, Maxis (creators of SimCity and The Sims), and Westwood Studios (Command and Conquer).

In 1993, EA launched the EA Sports brand, which became the umbrella for the company's sports simulation franchises. The FIFA football simulation series, launched in 1993, became one of the best-selling video game franchises in history. The Madden NFL series, which had begun in 1988, became the dominant American football simulation.

In 2004, EA acquired DICE, the Swedish developer of the Battlefield series. In 2008, EA acquired BioWare and Pandemic Studios for approximately $860 million. In 2017, EA acquired Respawn Entertainment, the developer of Titanfall, for approximately $455 million. Respawn subsequently developed Apex Legends, a free-to-play battle royale game launched in 2019 that became one of EA's most successful live service titles.

In 2022, EA's long-running licensing agreement with FIFA expired following a dispute over licensing fees. EA rebranded its football simulation franchise from FIFA to EA Sports FC, with EA Sports FC 24 being the first title under the new name, launched in September 2023. The rebranding allowed EA to retain full control of the franchise without paying FIFA licensing fees.

In 2023, EA expanded its sports portfolio with the return of College Football after an 11-year hiatus. College Football 25 became a massive commercial success, driving significant revenue in FY2025. In October 2025, EA launched Battlefield 6, which set franchise records with over 7 million copies sold in its first three days and became the best-performing Battlefield title in a fiscal year.

On September 29, 2025, EA announced an agreement to be acquired by a consortium of PIF, Silver Lake, and Affinity Partners for $55 billion. Stockholders approved the transaction on December 22, 2025. The deal closed on August 4, 2026, making EA a privately held company. The transaction included approximately $20 billion in debt financing, making it the largest leveraged buyout ever, surpassing the previous record held by the $44 billion TXU Corporation buyout in 2007.

Electronic Arts has established sustainability initiatives focused on environmental responsibility, ethical gaming practices, and inclusive workplace culture.

Environmental Performance: EA has committed to becoming carbon neutral for operations by 2027 and achieving net zero enterprise status in alignment with the Paris Agreement. As of FY2025, 83% of global operations were carbon neutral and 95% of electricity attributable to operations was renewable. The company continues to advance energy efficiency across its offices through HVAC optimization, smart LED lighting, and critical IT cooling improvements. Water conservation efforts include xeriscaping, recycled-water irrigation, rain gardens, and low-flow fixtures.

Employee Engagement: EA's Global Green Team has grown to over 1,000 members. In FY2025, employees donated to almost 250 environmental-related organizations and contributed approximately 1,000 volunteer hours worldwide. The company implements responsible end-of-life processes for hardware and maintains comprehensive resource management programs.

Positive Play: EA maintains a commitment to Positive Play, ensuring safe and inclusive gaming environments. The company partners with organizations including the Tech Coalition and Family Online Safety Institute (FOSI) to foster safe spaces for video game players worldwide. EA Sports continues efforts to champion women in sports and gaming through targeted initiatives and partnerships.

Workplace Culture: EA achieved Great Place To Work Certification and has been recognized on multiple best employer lists. The annual IMPACT employee survey showed strong employee engagement, with 89% of responding employees saying the work they do matters.

Electronic Arts has received significant recognition for workplace excellence, innovation, and corporate responsibility:

• Forbes America's Best Midsize Employers 2025: Named to Forbes' list recognizing top midsize employers in the United States
• Fortune Most Admired Companies 2025: Included in Fortune's annual ranking of the world's most admired companies
• Fast Company Most Innovative Companies 2025: Recognized for innovation in the gaming industry
• HRC Corporate Equality Index: Received high marks for LGBTQ+ workplace inclusion and equality
• 2024 Campus Forward Award: Selected for commitment to seeking diverse talent and creating inclusive recruiting practices
• The Game Awards 2025: Multiple wins and nominations across its game portfolio including Battlefield 6, Split Fiction, EA Sports FC 26, and F1 25
• Best Place to Work Recognition: Three EA studios earned Best Place to Work accolades, including Maxis, Ripple Effect, and Cliffhanger studios

Loot Box and Monetization Controversies: EA has faced sustained criticism and regulatory scrutiny regarding its use of loot boxes and randomized in-game purchases, particularly in its sports simulation games. The Ultimate Team mode in EA Sports FC and Madden NFL allows players to purchase randomized packs of player cards using real money, a mechanic that critics have compared to gambling. Several countries, including Belgium and the Netherlands, have classified certain loot box mechanics as gambling and required EA to modify or remove them. In 2021, EA faced a class-action lawsuit in the United States alleging that its loot box mechanics in FIFA constituted illegal gambling.

Acquisition Controversy: The $55 billion acquisition by PIF, Silver Lake, and Affinity Partners generated significant public and regulatory scrutiny. The involvement of Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund raised questions about the kingdom's growing influence in the gaming and sports industries, following its acquisitions including Premier League club Newcastle United and investments in multiple Saudi Pro League football clubs. The involvement of Affinity Partners, run by Jared Kushner (son-in-law of U.S. President Donald Trump), also drew political attention. The deal's $20 billion debt financing component raised questions about EA's ability to service the debt while maintaining its creative output and workforce.

Workforce Challenges: Despite the record-breaking performance of Battlefield 6, which sold over 7 million copies in its first three days, layoffs followed for the teams involved. This pattern of successful launches followed by workforce reductions has drawn criticism from industry observers and employee advocates.

Sports Licensing and Exclusivity: EA has faced lawsuits alleging anti-competitive practices related to sports licensing agreements and exclusive contracts with leagues and athletes. The company's dominant position in sports gaming has attracted scrutiny about market dominance and the impact of exclusivity agreements on competition.

Regulatory Approval: The acquisition required regulatory approvals in multiple jurisdictions. EA engaged constructively with regulators throughout the process, and the transaction closed approximately 11 months after the initial announcement.