EA reportedly plans to go private with help from Silver Lake and Saudi Arabia

Electronic Arts (EA), the video game company, is reportedly in talks to be taken private in a $50 billion deal. The investors involved include private equity firm Silver Lake, Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF), and Jared Kushner's Affinity Partners, which is also funded by Saudi's PIF. The deal would make EA a privately held company, reversing its initial public offering in 1990. Saudi Arabia's interest in the buyout is likely due to EA's annual release of popular sports titles, such as Madden and NHL, which provide predictable earnings. Saudi Arabia has been actively investing in the video gaming industry as part of its efforts to diversify its economy beyond oil. The country has purchased stakes in several major gaming companies, including Take-Two Interactive, Activision Blizzard, Nintendo, and the Embracer Group. The potential buyout, if it goes through, would be the largest leveraged buyout of all time. The details of the deal are still being finalized, and the announcement could come as early as next week.