EA employees and U.S. senators raise concerns over buyout

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Opposition is growing to the proposed $55 billion takeover of Electronic Arts (EA) by a group backed by Saudi Arabia. Workers and two U.S. senators have expressed concerns about the deal, which would make EA a privately held company owned by a consortium including Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, the investment firm Silver Lake, and Jared Kushner’s Affinity Partners.

The video game workers’ union, UVW-CWA, released a statement criticizing the deal, saying it will give even more power and money to a small number of companies without helping players or video game workers. They pointed out that Electronic Arts is a successful company and that the workers who could be negatively affected by the deal weren’t involved in any discussions or negotiations about it.

Experts believe Electronic Arts (EA) may need to reduce its workforce to save money after taking on $20 billion in debt from the recent deal. The union representing EA workers stated that any job losses or studio closures would be a deliberate decision to benefit investors, rather than a genuine need to improve the company’s health.

The UVW-CWA expressed concern that when private equity firms or wealthy investors buy studios, workers have less insight into decisions and less power. They argue that important choices affecting jobs, creative work, and the future of the studio are made privately by executives who lack experience in the actual creation of games or ongoing support for them. The union is urging regulators and lawmakers to carefully review this deal to guarantee job security, protect creative independence, and ensure those making decisions are accountable to the workers who contribute to the studio’s success.

Senators Elizabeth Warren and Richard Blumenthal have voiced their worries about the agreement in letters addressed to Electronic Arts CEO Andrew Wilson and U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.

The senators expressed concern that the deal could create significant foreign influence and threaten national security, primarily due to the Public Investment Fund’s close ties to the Saudi government.

Honestly, people are really questioning if buying EA was a smart financial move. It seems like the buyers have other reasons for wanting it besides just making money – like, some think Saudi Arabia wants to have more control over big parts of American pop culture. It’s a little weird, if you ask me.

The agreement could significantly increase Saudi Arabia’s power and reach within the United States. This is made even more concerning by the potential national security risks, including Saudi access to private data collected from EA customers, their work on artificial intelligence, and their ability to shape the company’s products and future direction, as outlined in the letter to Wilson.

So, the senators finished their letter by basically asking EA’s CEO, Andrew Wilson, how gamers can be sure they won’t be exposed to secret propaganda from Saudi Arabia while playing their games. They really want to know how EA will make sure that Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, or the Saudi government itself, can’t control what happens in their games or push a certain agenda. It’s a pretty direct challenge to make sure EA stays independent and protects its players.

In a letter to Bessent, the two senators questioned Jared Kushner’s role in the deal, citing an analyst’s concern that regulators might not properly review it because of his connection to the president.

It’s unclear if this opposition will actually prevent the deal from going through.

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2025-10-16 18:17