The $55 billion Electronic Arts acquisition has been completed

Last week, it was reported the monumental $55 billion acquisition of Electronic Arts was to be completed as soon as this week, and lo and behold, this has officially happened. As confirmed in a press release from EA, the massive games publisher has been snapped up by an investment consortium spanning Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF), Affinity Partners (led by Donald Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner), and Silver Lake.

This deal has been pushed through in two parts. $36 billion has already been paid for EA by the investment companies involved, but a further $20 billion has been borrowed against the company in what is thought to be one of the largest leveraged buyouts in history. This means EA now has a debt of $20 billion on its back it will eventually need to pay back, something which will no doubt result in cost-cutting measures and could even lead to more aggressive monetisation efforts in EA's already well-monetised projects.

Speaking about the acquisition, EA CEO Andrew Wilson has said: "This moment recognizes the extraordinary people whose creativity, ambition and passion have made EA one of the world's leading interactive entertainment companies. We're entering this next chapter from a position of strength with partners who share our vision and ambition. Together, we'll invest boldly, accelerate innovation, and build the next generation of games and experiences for the hundreds of millions of players and fans who inspire us every day."

With the deal now complete, EA stockholders are set to receive $210 in cash for each share of the company they possess, and as EA is now a private company, it has been delisted from the NASDAQ.