Unionized employees at Electronic Arts (EA), represented by the Communications Workers of America, have issued a formal statement opposing a proposed $55 billion private acquisition of the company by a consortium including Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund.
The statement, reported by Eurogamer, centers on the complaint that workers were not represented in any negotiations for the deal. The unionized employees expressed concern that any subsequent job losses would “be a choice, not a necessity, made to pad investors’ pockets.” The source of the complaint is specified as being about worker representation, not the human rights record of Saudi Arabia. In addition to the formal response, the workers have launched a petition that calls on regulators to scrutinize the proposed transaction.
In their statement, the employees asserted that EA’s success is a result of its workforce. “EA is not a struggling company,” the statement reads. “Yet we, the very people who will be jeopardized as a result of this deal, were not represented at all when this buyout was negotiated or discussed.” The petition and statement together represent a formal pushback against the acquisition process on behalf of the employees.
The union’s communication also referenced recent widespread layoffs across the video game industry. It argued that a pattern exists where such takeovers lead to negative outcomes for employees. “Every time private equity or billionaire investors take a studio private, workers lose visibility, transparency and power,” the statement noted, framing the opposition within a broader industry context.
The union outlined its specific demands of government officials and regulatory bodies. “We are calling on regulators and elected officials to scrutinize this deal and ensure that any path forward protects jobs, preserves creative freedom and keeps decision-making accountable to the workers who make EA successful,” the statement continued. “The value of video games is in their workers. As a unified voice, we, the members of the industry-wide video game workers’ union UVW-CWA, are standing together and refusing to let corporate greed decide the future of our industry.”
When Eurogamer inquired with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) about the acquisition’s status, the agency declined to comment, citing its policy of not discussing “pending mergers or acquisitions.” If the $55 billion deal proceeds, it would take EA private for the first time in its 35-year history. The group of investors proposing the purchase includes the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund (PIF), Silver Lake, and Affinity Partners, a firm associated with Jared Kushner, former President Trump’s son-in-law. U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren and Richard Blumenthal have also publicly voiced concerns regarding the acquisition.
