A $55 billion deal recently saw EA, the publisher behind games like Battlefield 6 and The Sims 4, sold to Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, Silver Lake, and Jared Kushner's Affinity Partners – but amid the buyout, it seems the PIF is struggling financially.
The news comes following a New York Times report, which outlines how the PIF is now looking to turn its dwindling finances around, according to 11 unnamed sources familiar with the fund – board members, currency employees, investors, and their representatives, as the article details. What's behind the supposed shortage of capital, though? The plethora of different projects the PIF has been used for, apparently.
There's Neom, the planned near-utopian city being built in Saudi Arabia, with its indoor and outdoor skiing resort, luxury housing, upside-down skyscraper, floating industrial complex, robot workers, and more. The report cites others, too, like a coffee chain that only boasts one shop so far, a cruise line consisting of just one ship, and an electric vehicle start-up that came about a few years ago – only to not yet deliver any cars to date.
For anyone wondering about Saudi Arabia's oil-derived wealth, the country can't just pump willy-nilly. There are geopolitical agreements in place imposing restrictions on supply and such, with the New York Times piece explaining that the government is "running a growing budget deficit" and incurring debt to make Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud's promises come to life. Although the PIF claims to hold about $1 trillion in assets, it's not so simple.
Many of these assets hold no public valuations and are difficult to sell, with representatives reportedly telling international investors the PIF is "unable to allocate any more money" for the foreseeable future. Unsurprisingly, a spokesperson for the public fund, Marwan Bakrali, claims it boasts $60 billion in cash and "similar financial instruments," describing it as "very liquid by regional standards."
It's all concerning news, nonetheless, albeit unconfirmed by officials themselves – especially when considering the EA deal that's set to close sometime within the first quarter of 2027 (yes, the very same deal that is leaving EA with a $20 billion debt). It's not the only video game-related investment on the PIF's side, either. There have been "dozens," from a $3.3 billion investment in Activision-Blizzard to many a dollar spent on esports.
There's really no telling what any of this means for the future of the PIF or the market, but it's safe to say that lots of folks are concerned about its hand in the gaming industry – from Sims 4 stans to US senators, many have expressed worries about the EA buyout in particular.
Be sure to browse through our roundup of the most exciting new games coming this year and beyond for some fresh titles to wishlist.
