‘I feel dirty:’ EA workers trapped in a maelstrom of cynicism and doubt after Saudi buyout
Electronic Arts has officially concluded a historic $55 billion leveraged buyout by a consortium led by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), marking the largest leveraged acquisition in private equity history. The acquisition also includes investment from Jared Kushner, former US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law.
Despite management assurances that the takeover would not materially affect company culture, numerous EA employees are expressing significant concerns and disillusionment about working under Saudi ownership. Multiple current staff members report feeling conflicted, with one employee stating they feel “dirty,” while others describe difficulty reconciling their work for a company owned by “a regime that’s very much at odds with progressive society.”
A primary concern centers on potential censorship of creative output. Employees worry that Saudi ownership could impose stricter controls over game development and content, leading to restrictions on what titles can be created or released. Some staff fear a crackdown on certain games, reflecting broader tensions between the gaming industry’s progressive cultural positioning and the realities of foreign sovereign wealth fund ownership.