EA reassures staff it will keep creative independence and take a careful approach to AI as Saudi-backed $55 billion deal moves forward.
It’s been over a month since Electronic Arts (EA) announced that it had agreed to be acquired for $55 billion by a consortium led by Public Investment Fund (Saudi Arabia’s sovereign‑wealth fund), along with Silver Lake and Affinity Partners. The deal offered $210 per share in cash and marked one of the largest take‑private transactions ever announced in the games business.
Understandably, the news raised questions among EA’s workforce and its millions of players about what this means for the studio’s future, its culture, and creative direction.
Now, EA has issued an updated “employee FAQ” that offers new details about how it plans to operate moving forward, including how it will manage creative control and the role of AI inside the company.
“AI is a tool to empower our people to put creativity first”
In an updated version of the employee Frequently Asked Questions document filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on October 30, 2025, EA laid out how things will, or importantly, will not, change. The company reassures staff that its mission, values, and creative autonomy will remain untouched. The FAQ states that EA will “maintain creative control” and insists that its mission and values are “unchanged.”
“Our mission, values, and commitment to players and fans around the world remain unchanged. We will continue to be guided by our cultural values of creativity, pioneering, passion, determination, learning, and teamwork. The Consortium is supportive of and committed to investing in our exceptional employees and our strong culture.
“The Consortium believes in our vision, our leadership and the strength of our teams. They are investing in EA because they believe we are uniquely positioned to lead the future of entertainment. EA will maintain creative control and our track record of creative freedom and player-first values will remain intact.”
On the topic of AI use in game development, EA tells staffers that it will take a “thoughtful, steady approach,” framing the technology as a tool to “empower our people” rather than replace them.
“We will maintain a thoughtful, steady approach to AI. AI is a tool to empower our people to put creativity first by reimagining workflows and amplifying the creative power of our teams. This transaction will allow us to invest heavily in our business to accelerate innovation and unlock new growth opportunities.”
Despite worries that private ownership could lead to restructuring or layoffs, EA directly addressed those fears in the FAQ. The company stated there will be “no immediate changes to your job, team, or daily work” as a result of the deal.
It added that the focus remains on “driving innovation and expanding our global reach,” something that, according to EA, “requires world-class teams who are excited to shape the future of entertainment.”
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