Electronic Arts (EA) has agreed to be acquired in a massive $55-billion US (about $76.5 billion CAD) all-cash deal by a consortium that includes Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), Silver Lake, and Affinity Partners.

The agreement, announced today, will see the investor group buy 100 per cent of EA’s shares for $210 each—a 25 per cent premium over the company’s unaffected share price of $168.32 on September 25. EA shareholders will vote on the proposal, which has already been approved by the company’s board. Now that’s going to be a pay day for some early EA shareholders.

If completed, the transaction would be the largest all-cash sponsor take-private deal in history. EA will be delisted from public markets but remain headquartered in Redwood City, California, with Andrew Wilson

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