EA acquisition set to close on August 4 following approval from required regulatory bodies

The $55 billion private acquisition of Electronic Arts (EA) is entering its final stage, with the deal scheduled to officially close on August 4, 2026. The milestone follows the clearance of all required regulatory approvals, marking the end of a process that began when the transaction was first announced in September 2025. EA shareholders subsequently voted to approve the buyout in December 2025.

Upon closing, the video game publisher will transition to private ownership under an investor consortium led by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF). Following the transaction, the PIF is expected to hold an ownership stake of over 93.4% in the company. The purchasing consortium also includes private equity firm Silver Lake Capital and investment firm Affinity Partners.

Regulatory Approvals and Scrutiny

The transaction cleared its remaining major hurdle when the European Union Commission approved the merger during the week of July 31, 2026. Evaluating the deal under its standard procedures, the regulator concluded that the transaction would not negatively affect market competition.

In a statement reported by GamesIndustry.biz, the EU Commission stated that the buyout "would not raise competition concerns, given its limited impact on competition in the markets where the companies are active. The notified transaction was examined under the normal merger review procedure."

Before European regulators completed their assessment, the acquisition faced scrutiny in the United States. US lawmakers had previously requested that the Federal Trade Commission conduct a thorough review of the buyout, pointing to potential concerns about how the deal might affect workers.

Final Closing Conditions

Although all required regulatory bodies have granted approval, the transaction must still clear final administrative procedures before the August 4 closing date.

In a July 30, 2026 filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission, Electronic Arts confirmed that the deal is undergoing standard final processing, noting that "completion of the merger remains subject to the satisfaction or waiver of the remaining customary closing conditions set forth in the merger agreement."

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