EA’s $55 Billion Buyout Raises Doubts Over BioWare Funding and Next Mass Effect Game

The completion of a $55 billion buyout of Electronic Arts has raised significant concerns about the future of its studio BioWare and the long-in-development Mass Effect game. The deal, which saw EA taken fully private, was finalized by a consortium led by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, alongside Affinity Partners and Silver Lake.

Under the terms of the acquisition, the Public Investment Fund holds a 93.4 percent ownership stake, with Silver Lake and Affinity Partners owning 5.5 percent and 1.1 percent, respectively. The transaction has saddled EA with nearly $20 billion in debt and delisted its stock from public exchanges. In a statement, EA CEO Andrew Wilson said the company was "entering this next chapter from a position of strength with partners who share our vision and ambition," and promised to "invest boldly" to drive growth.

However, industry observers and former executives are less optimistic about the impact on certain parts of EA’s portfolio, particularly BioWare. Emmanuel Rosier, a former senior manager at EA who now serves as director of market intelligence at Newzoo, told PC Gamer he is uncertain if the new owners will continue funding BioWare. "They've been...