Electronic Arts

American company

Also known as: Amazin’ Software, EA

Written and fact-checked byThe Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Updated: Nov. 14, 2026

Electronic Arts produces some of the most iconic and popular video games in the industry and has a large, dedicated fan base.

Also Known As:: EA; Amazin’ Software

Date:: 1982 - present

Headquarters:: Redwood City

Areas Of Involvement:: electronic game; electronic artificial life game; electronic sports game; manufacturing

News

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BioWare studio shuttered by EA after more than 30 years of video games • Nov. 1, 2026, 12:00 AM (ET)(ABC News (Australia))

Electronic Arts Inc. (EA) is an American publisher and developer of video games for personal computers (PCs), video game consoles, and mobile devices. Electronic Arts’ product line includes the popular gaming franchises The Sims, EA SPORTS FC, Command & Conquer, Apex Legends, Battlefield, Mass Effect, and Madden NFL. The company is headquartered in Redwood City, California, and employed about 14,600 people as of March 2026. EA became a privately held company in 2026 following its acquisition by an investor consortium led by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund.

Founding and early years

The company was established in 1982 by William M. “Trip” Hawkins, who had been employed by Apple (AAPL), but left in 1982 to found Amazin’ Software. It was renamed Electronic Arts later that year. One of EA’s unique features was the recognition it gave to game designers, placing their names in large type on some game covers, similar to layouts for novels or album covers.

Games and acquisitions

EA’s titles encompass a broad range of genres and game types. EA Sports, arguably the company’s strongest division, boasts Madden NFL and EA SPORTS FC. In 1997, EA acquired Maxis Software, makers of SimCity, and continued the Maxis label for several years as the developer of various sequels, including The Sims, which was the best-selling PC game in the early 2000s. In 2008, EA’s Maxis studios produced Spore, a game in which users create and evolve life-forms in a virtual world. Medal of Honor, Ultima Online, Rock Band, and Burnout are also part of EA’s extensive library.

During the 2010s and early 2020s, EA continued to expand through acquisitions, including PopCap Games (2011), Respawn Entertainment (2017), Glu Mobile (2021), and Codemasters (2021), strengthening its portfolio in casual, mobile, racing, and action games.

Leveraged buyout

What’s a leveraged buyout?

A leveraged buyout (LBO) is the purchase of a company using a large amount of borrowed money, with the acquired company’s assets often pledged as collateral.

In September 2025, EA agreed to be acquired by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), a sovereign wealth fund; Silver Lake, a private equity firm; and Affinity Partners, an investment firm founded by Jared Kushner, son-in-law of President Donald Trump. The all-cash deal valued the company at about $55 billion and offered shareholders $210 per share, a 25% premium to EA’s stock price before the transaction was announced.

The acquisition closed in August 2026 after receiving regulatory and shareholder approval, ending EA’s more than three decades as a publicly traded company. The transaction became the largest leveraged buyout (LBO) on record, surpassing the $32 billion buyout of Texas utility TXU Energy in 2007.

This article was most recently revised and updated by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica