Before Electronic Arts goes private in an unprecedented sale, some US lawmakers are pleading for some federal oversight. Democratic members of the US Congress, as part of the Congressional Labor Caucus, wrote a letter asking the Federal Trade Commission to “thoroughly review” the $55 billion acquisition of EA.
EA confirmed the sale to the Public Investment Fund, or Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, in September to Silver Lake and Affinity Partners, but the deal is expected to close in the first quarter of 2027. Ahead of the official change of ownership, the 46 House Democrats who signed the letter to the FTC are demanding greater scrutiny of the deal’s impacts.
The letter outlines some of the most consequential impacts, including the worsening of a volatile industry, the possibility of more layoffs, and increased market dominance for EA. “We respectfully urge the Commission to thoroughly examine the labor market consequences of this proposed acquisition, including EA’s existing wage-setting power, the potential for layoffs following the transaction, the degree of labor-market concentration in relevant geographic and business markets, and the role of cross-ownership in shaping labor outcomes,” the letter said.
The letter has already received support from the Communications Workers of America union, which has also endorsed a petition from the United Video Games Union. as seen eurogamerThe petition calls on regulators and elected officials to “investigate this deal and ensure that any path forward protects jobs and preserves creative freedom.”
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