Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) is reportedly on the verge of securing approval from the European Union for its proposed $55 billion acquisition of Electronic Arts (EA). According to reporting from Reuters on July 17, individuals familiar with the deal indicated that the EU is set to grant its clearance by July 30.
The PIF is expected to receive approval under the EU’s Foreign Subsidies Regulation (FSR). This regulation is designed to prevent foreign subsidies from creating unfair competition within the EU's internal market. The European Commission, the EU's executive arm and competition enforcer, is anticipated to move past its preliminary review under the FSR, which was scheduled for July 22, allowing the deal to proceed.
This regulatory step signifies a potential clearing of a significant hurdle for the acquisition, which was initially rumored in September 2025. At that time, reports suggested involvement from the PIF, private-equity firm Silver Lake, and Affinity Partners, led by Jared Kushner. While EA acknowledged the possibility of selling to Saudi Arabia in November 2025, the company stated it would retain creative control. However, by December 2025, the Wall Street Journal reported that a majority of EA's control would transfer to the PIF post-acquisition.
The potential takeover has not been without controversy, drawing protests from some gamers who have expressed concerns about the implications of such a significant acquisition. If finalized as expected, this deal would represent the second-largest acquisition in the gaming industry's history, surpassed only by Microsoft's $75.4 billion purchase of Activision Blizzard in October 2023.