Friday’s reports that Electronic Arts planned to go private were publicly confirmed Monday morning. Silver Lake, Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), and Jared Kushner’s Affinity Partners will join together to pay an estimated $55 billion for the video game mega-publisher in a deal being described as the “largest all-cash sponsor take-private investment in history.”
Gross - guess I won’t even wait for BF6 reviews to not buy the game.
I’m not convinced this is worse than being publically traded. Now instead of being beholden to faceless investors who only care about number go up, it’s one specific owner? I mean, considering who it is, it isn’t better. But I struggle to imagine it as worse.
Doesn’t matter, I’ll still either avoid their games or pirate.
Co-op/freelance > small business > large single-owner business > publicly traded business > private equity business.
The hordes of faceless shareholders is mostly regular people’s retirement accounts. It’s still a net-negative for society, but now it’s not even helping someone retire comfortably. With Saudi Arabia involved, that means it’s also going to be laundering the image of a monarchy.
A few years ago everyone was talking about how crown prince Bin Salman ordered the brutal execution and dismemberment of a journalist. Now the E-sports world cup is in Riyadh.
Depends on the private holder. Look in example to Valve (Steam), who are a private company and do well and good for themselves, the gaming industry and their fans (relative speaking for the most part).
But a super rich Saudi Arabia people and Kushner, Affinity Partners’ CEO and the son-in-law of President Trump connection, I don’t know man. BTW its not just one owner, as I understand. The difference to stockholders is, that a few people who don’t understand videogames have direct power and control over the company, while stockholders are many little.