According to Reuters, Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund is expected to receive EU approval for its $55 billion acquisition of Electronic Arts by the end of July 2025, with the transaction slated to close on July 30. The European Commission’s Foreign Subsidies Regulation (FSR) triggered a preliminary review on July 22. The FSR, intended to block non‑European subsidies that could distort competition, has drawn criticism for its bureaucratic nature. The Commission’s competition authority has signaled that it will set the regulation aside for this deal. The acquisition was announced in September 2025 and involves Saudi Arabia’s PIF, Silver Lake, and Jared Kushner’s Affinity Partners. EA stated in November 2025 that it would retain creative control, while a December 2025 Wall Street Journal report indicated that majority ownership would transfer to PIF after finalization. Protesters, including cosplayers, demonstrated outside EA’s California headquarters following the announcement. If completed, the deal will become the second‑largest gaming buyout in history, after Microsoft’s $75.4 billion purchase of Activision Blizzard in October 2023.