EA confirmed in late September 2025 that it would be taken private through a massive acquisition led by Silver Lake, Affinity Partners, and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF). If approved by regulators, this deal would make EA fully privately owned, with the PIF emerging as its largest stakeholder.
While Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund has invested heavily in gaming before — including in Nintendo, Take-Two, and Activision Blizzard — its controlling position in EA has sparked new scrutiny from U.S. lawmakers.
Senators Warn of “Foreign Influence” and “Data Access” Risks
In a joint letter sent to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Richard Blumenthal expressed “profound concern about the foreign influence and national security risks” associated with the PIF’s involvement. The letter highlights fears that Saudi Arabia could use its majority control of EA to influence content or access sensitive data on millions of American gamers.
The senators also questioned the financial logic behind the acquisition, pointing out EA’s volatile performance over the past year — including a $6 billion stock value loss in January — as a sign that the deal may be politically or strategically motivated rather than purely financial. “The transaction appears to prioritize foreign influence over shareholder value,” the letter warns.
Data security concerns have been a recurring issue in gaming, particularly as publishers collect more user information. The senators’ letter echoes public worries raised earlier this year, when gamers criticized EA’s updated EULA terms and called out invasive tracking features.
With PIF’s growing footprint in the entertainment and gaming sectors, some fear that foreign control over major publishers could compromise user data and even creative independence.
What Happens Next
The Treasury Department has yet to comment on the letter, though the deal is expected to face a review from the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS). This isn’t the first time the Saudi government’s investments have drawn controversy — in 2022, the PIF-backed esports and Twitch sponsorships caused major backlash.
If the deal moves forward, EA would become the largest Western game publisher under majority Saudi control, marking a significant shift in the global gaming landscape. Whether U.S. regulators step in to halt or modify the acquisition could determine how far foreign investment can reach into the American games industry going forward.
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