An SEC filing on Thursday, July 30, 2026, disclosed that the $55 billion deal that will see Electronic Arts (EA) transition to new ownership and cease being a publicly traded company is set to be finalized on Tuesday, August 4, 2026.
“As of July 30, 2026, all regulatory approvals required to complete the Merger have been obtained,” read a section of the SEC filing. “Electronic Arts currently expects the Merger to close on or about the close of trading on August 4, 2026. Completion of the Merger remains subject to the satisfaction or waiver of the remaining customary closing conditions set forth in the Merger Agreement.”
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The sale (or “merger” according to the framing of the SEC filing) was first announced in September 2025. The proposed $55 billion deal made it the largest leveraged buyout in history. The deal was funded by a $36 billion equity investment and $20 billion in new debt financing.
By the completion of the “merger”, Saudi-backed Public Investment Fund will own 93% of the company. It was previously disclosed that the company’s leadership and structure will remain largely unchanged, with Andrew Wilson retaining his position as the CEO and the headquarters retained in Redwood City, California.
Electronic Arts executives under fire for bumper bonuses after layoffs
Wilson received a bonus of $38.69 million for the 2026 financial year, with other executives taking home significant bonuses. The huge paycheck has drawn criticism from gamers, especially because Electronic Arts recently conducted a third round of layoffs that saw an undisclosed number of non-development employees in the USA and Hyderabad, India, leave the company.
The bonus was disclosed in the company’s new 10-K report. The bonus handed down to the executives includes monetary payments and stock awards. The list of the bonuses received by different executives is as follows:
- Andrew Wilson (CEO) — $38,694,984
- Stuart Canfield (CFO) — $$11.3 million
- Laura Miele (President) — $13.7 million
- Mala Singh (Chief People Officer) — $8.3 million
- Chief Legal Officer — $8.4 million
The financial report also included the performance of Electronic Arts’ franchises. It showed that Battlefield 6 crossed all set milestones, including receiving positive critical reviews and maintaining stable services and gameplay. Interim milestones related to future releases have also been met.
The adoption of AI in video game development and executive greed are two of the top factors always fingered in mass layoffs. News of the huge bonuses handed to Electronic Arts executives reinforces the second opinion.
