In some truly shocking news for the gaming community, Electronic Arts is set to end its decades long run as a publicly traded company, following news that the publisher has been acquired by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), Silver Lake, and Affinity Partners – the latter led by Jared Kushner, son-in-law of U.S. President Donald Trump.

The deal, valued at an unprecedented $55 billion, will see EA transition to private ownership for the first time in thirty six years.

Known primarily for its lucrative sports titles such as EA Sports FC (formerly FIFA), the publisher’s sale adds to Saudi Arabia’s growing portfolio in global sports and entertainment, in a move critics say is aimed at deflecting attention from the kingdom’s ongoing human rights abuses. [...]