From Football Pitches to Consoles: Why Saudi Arabia Bet $55bn on EA
For millions around the world, the familiar chime of “EA Sports – it’s in the game” is more than just a slogan – it’s the soundtrack of youth, friendship, and countless hours spent in front of a console. Now, that gaming giant has become the centre of one of the biggest deals in entertainment history.
In a staggering $55 billion agreement, Electronic Arts – the studio behind The Sims, Need for Speed, and the iconic football franchise EA Sports FC – is set to be taken over by a consortium led by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF).
The eye-watering price tag isn’t just raising eyebrows because of the size of the cheque. It’s who is writing it.
A Play for Power Through Play
Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund has made no secret of its ambitions. It already owns Premier League club Newcastle United, bankrolls the LIV Golf tour, and has hosted a slew of headline-grabbing boxing events. But the leap into gaming represents something bigger: a move from traditional sport into the booming world of esports and digital entertainment.
“It’s an enormous win for Saudi Arabia’s soft power strategy,” said George Osborn, editor of Video Games Industry Memo. “Video games are cultural capital. Buying EA doesn’t just give you a seat at the table – it makes you the host.”
For critics, this raises familiar accusations of “sportswashing” – using sport and entertainment to gloss over ongoing concerns about human rights in the kingdom, including women’s rights, LGBT protections, and the use of capital punishment. But for players picking up a copy of EA Sports FC, Osborn suggests the strategy is simple: “They’re not thinking geopolitics, they’re thinking fun. That’s the genius of it.”
Gaming the Future
The deal, still awaiting regulatory approval, dwarfs Saudi Arabia’s previous sports investments – it is more than 180 times what it paid for Newcastle United. It also puts the country in control of one of the most influential publishers in gaming, with franchises that have sold hundreds of millions of copies worldwide.
And it’s not the kingdom’s first move in this arena. The PIF already owns stakes in companies tied to Pokémon Go and Monopoly Go, and has hosted major esports tournaments, with plans to stage the Olympic Esports Games in 2027. With 70% of its population under 35 and nearly every household glued to mobile screens, gaming is not just entertainment – it’s economic strategy.
Professor Simon Chadwick, a geopolitical economy expert, said the play makes sense: “Saudi Arabia knows it needs to diversify away from oil. Esports is one of the few areas where it already has a youthful, engaged audience. This is catering to the population as much as it is projecting soft power abroad.”
Risks and Rewards
Taking EA private comes with challenges. The purchase involves significant debt – reports suggest around $20bn – and the premium of $210 per share puts pressure on EA’s future earnings. But analysts say the influx of Saudi-backed capital could supercharge the company’s ambitions.
“EA has gone from being a publisher of sports games to being one of the most important entertainment players on the planet,” said Nick Hurley, co-founder of Guildford Games Ltd. “With this buyout, it’s about to be turbo-charged.”
Escapism Meets Reality
For decades, EA’s titles offered an escape – a way to slip into another world, away from the messiness of everyday life. But this deal is a reminder that games, like sport, are no longer immune from geopolitics.
As Saudi Arabia extends its reach from stadiums to consoles, the question is no longer whether players are “in the game.” It’s who controls the game itself.
