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There have been a lot of questions surrounding the acquisition of mega-publisher Electronic Arts by Saudi Investors.
Aside from the concerns over national security in the United States, many are wondering what this means for EA’s studios and their core values and beliefs. Take BioWare, for example, a studio that has never been shy to embrace progressive characters, writing, and themes in its games. There are a lot of legitimate questions about the studio’s future that, for now, aren’t being answered.
It’s something that has also already seen backlash from the community. Some Sims content creators quit the EA Creator Network in protest over concerns about proper representation and inclusivity in The Sims 4.
According to an update on the Frequently Asked Questions document made concerning EA’s acquisition, the company will still have creative control over its games.
The same document states that The Consortium, which is a reference to the Saudi-led consortium that includes the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) and private equity groups purchasing Electronic Arts, «is supportive of and committed to investing in our exceptional employees and our strong culture.»
There Are Still Concerns That The Consortium Could Sell Off Certain Studios Like BioWare
No matter what is said in official documents, there will still rightfully be concerns from developers and fans about what the future holds.
It’s no secret that the Saudi government is doing everything it can to become a major player in the entertainment industry. As a wrestling fan, seeing that Saudi Arabia will be hosting a Royal Rumble and WrestleMania over the next few years is something that can’t be ignored. We’ve gone from the Saudi shows being unimportant to overall storylines to hosting the biggest events of the year.
What does that have to do with the video game industry? Everything. Regarding The Sims, experts don’t foresee any massive changes to the IP, simply because it has been incredibly profitable for them. Why mess with something that’s making you money?
On the other side of the coin, it feels like BioWare, a studio that was already rumored to be looking to be sold off following the disappointment of Dragon Age: The Veilguard, is on borrowed time.
Again, EA claims that its culture will not change as a result of this deal. They state that «The Consortium believes in our vision, our leadership and our focus on creating games, stories, and content that reflect a range of experiences and delivering them to our global player community.» I can’t help but feel that we’ve seen a similar song and dance about this type of thing when Microsoft made its acquisitions before eventually laying off a large portion of its workforce.
The acquisition of Electronic Arts is expected to sometime in 2026. After that, I imagine we’ll start to get our answers.
Electronic Arts
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