Andrew Wilson, the Geelong-born surfer turned video game executive, has pulled off one of the biggest corporate deals of the decade.
Electronic Arts (EA), the $55 billion (A$84 billion) gaming giant behind Madden and FIFA, will go private in a record leveraged buyout led by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, private-equity firm Silver Lake and Jared Kushner’s Affinity Partners.
The all-cash transaction, confirmed in late September, will see EA shareholders receive $210 (A$320)per share.
Roughly $36 billion (A$55 billion) in equity and $20 billion (A$30 billion)in debt will finance the deal. It ranks among the largest leveraged buyouts ever, and the biggest in the entertainment and gaming sector.
Wilson, who grew up surfing and practising martial arts in Geelong, is expected to stay on as chief executive once the deal closes in 2026.His friendship with Silver Lake’s Egon Durban and Durban’s introduction to Kushner were instrumental in securing the Saudi backing.
PIF, which already owns just under 10% of EA, will roll its stake into the new private company.
Since taking over as CEO in 2013, Wilson has rebuilt EA’s reputation and profits.
The share price has climbed more than sevenfold under his watch. He pushed through the rebranding of FIFA to EA Sports FC, and championed the lucrative Ultimate Team mode, a feature that lets players build custom rosters using digital cards of real athletes purchased with in-game currency.
Wilson also revived the long-dormant College Football series, tapping into a passionate US fan base eager for a return to campus-based gridiron after a decade-long hiatus.
Not all of EA’s bets have landed.
Anthem, a multiplayer action game launched in 2019, was a critical and commercial disappointment. The recent Dragon Age title also fell short of expectations.
Nonetheless, EA’s sports division remains the company’s crown jewel, driving consistent revenues through football and NFL titles.
The transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of fiscal 2027, pending shareholder and regulatory approvals.