The Internet Reacts To Electronic Arts' $55 Billion Acquisition

"After reports sprouted up last week that Electronic Arts, the publisher behind , BioWare's catalog, and most of your favorite sports games, was being acquired for over $50 billion in a joint venture between Saudi Arabia's Private Investor Fund, Silver Lake, and the Jared Kushner-owned Affinity Partners, the company has officially confirmed the deal . If approved, the acquisition would be one of the most expensive in the history of the video game industry and would make Electronic Arts a privately held company."

"The Saudi Arabian government's attempts at sportswashing away the stink of its dire human rights laws, as evidenced by its investments in various facets of the video game industry , are well-documented at this point. Its money runs so deep that it has investments and ownerships in things like fighting game tournament EVO, the Esports World Cup , and even Pokémon Go . Now it has a lot of money in one of the biggest video game publishers on the planet, and the internet is worried about what it means not just for the games themselves, but for the people working under EA's umbrella."

"Given Saudi Arabia's treatment of queer people, a fair bit of concern has been extended specifically to and to BioWare, the developer of Mass Effect and , all of which have been trailblazers for queer representation in video games. EA CEO Andrew Wilson has stated in an email statement to staff that the company's "values and [its] commitment to players and fans around the world remain unchanged," but considering that both the Saudi Arabian government and Jared Kushner, the owner of Affinity Partners and Donald Trump's son-in-law, now own the publisher, that's not exactly convincing."

Electronic Arts confirmed a reported acquisition worth over $50 billion by a consortium including Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, Silver Lake, and Affinity Partners. If approved, Electronic Arts will become a privately held company and the deal would rank among the largest in video game industry history. Saudi investments already span EVO, the Esports World Cup, and Pokémon Go, raising concerns about sportswashing and human rights. Observers worry about influence over games, studio staff safety, and potential interference with queer-inclusive content. BioWare has elicited particular concern because of its history of LGBTQ representation. EA leadership insists company values and commitments remain unchanged.

Read at Kotaku