Electronic Arts (EA), the gaming firm recognized for its franchises such as Madden and FIFA, is approaching a deal to transition into a private company, as indicated by The Wall Street Journal on Friday.

The deal, valued at around $50 billion, would represent the largest leveraged buyout to date.

According to The Wall Street Journal, the stakeholders in the buyout comprise the private equity firm Silver Lake, Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), and Affinity Partners, an investment firm founded by Jared Kushner, son-in-law to President Trump. Saudi Arabia’s PIF serves as the principal financial backer for Affinity Partners. As of 2023, Saudi Arabia’s PIF owns nearly 10 percent of EA.

The acquisition of EA would be the latest in a series of investments in gaming by Saudi Arabia, which is part of the nation’s strategy to lessen economic dependence on oil. In 2021, the PIF initiated Savvy Games Group, aimed at investing in video games and esports. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman chairs Savvy Games Group.

In addition to EA, the PIF already has holdings in Activision Blizzard, the creator of Call of Duty and World of Warcraft, as well as Take-Two Interactive, known for Borderlands and Grand Theft Auto. The PIF has also invested in Nintendo, though it reduced its holdings in 2024.

In response to The Wall Street Journal’s article, EA’s shares climbed 15 percent on Friday. EA has been publicly traded since 1990. The company may reveal the buyout as soon as next week.