NEW YORK (AP) — In what could become the largest-ever buyout funded by private equity, video game maker Electronic Arts has agreed to be acquired in a deal valued at $55 billion. And beyond the potentially record-breaking price tag, the deal could bring wider shifts in the gaming world. Electronic Arts owns popular titles like Madden NFL, Battlefield and The Sims — and going private could grant the company more freedom in developing and distributing these games. It also marks the latest move from Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund PIF to invest in gaming. If the transaction gets the greenlight, PIF would join Silver Lake Partners and Affinity Partners, which run by U.S. President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, as Electronic Arts’ new owners.… Continue Reading
