Employees at Electronic Arts are voicing significant concerns regarding potential layoffs and interference in creative decisions following the company's acquisition by a consortium backed by the Saudi Arabian government and Jared Kushner. The deal, which has taken EA private, has left staff uneasy about their future, according to a report from Game Developer.
Anonymous EA staff expressed that the company's culture lacked the moral fortitude to prevent the takeover, with one employee stating, "If EA had a culture that had any semblance of a moral backbone, it wouldn’t get into bed with a prince who’s disgusted by many of its current employees' sexualities and ethnicities." The same staffer noted the difficulty of finding alternative employment as a reason for remaining with the company despite their apprehension.
The possibility of creative meddling, even if indirect, is a significant worry. Employees suggest that future projects may not be approved if they do not align with the values of the Saudi government, leading EA to proactively self-censor pitches. "The [crown] prince is not going to get on to a town hall and say 'we are no longer doing these things' but instead projects just won't get signed because they don't align explicitly with what the Saudi government wants or implicitly because [EA will think] 'oh, we're going to try and cater these things [to our owners] because if we pitch something else the government may not like or approve of it,'" one staff member explained.
Layoffs are perceived as an ongoing threat, with expectations that they may occur in smaller, staggered waves to circumvent labor regulations like WARN notices. The nature of leveraged buyouts, where the acquired company takes on debt, also raises fears that underperforming teams or game series could be dissolved or sold off to satisfy financial obligations.
EA's responses to employee concerns have reportedly been limited to "vague reassurances." Some staff members described executive comments during town hall meetings as out of touch, with one alleged hot mic incident capturing an executive muttering "little babies" after employees raised questions about the deal's impact on company culture and job security.
In an effort to appease employees, EA has reportedly highlighted potential payouts for staff holding vested shares, a move seen by some as a short-term measure. One staffer commented on the focus on immediate financial gains, stating, "At this point, all you can do is get that bag today, because you’ll likely be unemployed tomorrow."