In the weeks following The Wall Street Journal's report that Electronic Arts (EA) was going private in a colossal £45 billion ($55 billion) buyout, the gaming world has been in uproar.

A consortium of high-profile investors — including Saudi Arabia 's Public Investment Fund (PIF), private equity giant Silver Lake, and Affinity Partners, an investment firm run by Jared Kushner — has agreed to purchase 100% of EA.

For one of the world's biggest game publishers, behind blockbuster franchises like Madden, Battlefield, and The Sims, this moment marks one of the largest all-cash takeovers in business history.

But as the deal moves forward, questions now swirl about the future of EA's creative independence, its use of artificial intelligence, and its long-standing player-first philosophy.

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