EA Cuts Staff Ahead of Anticipated $55 Billion Sale to Saudi Arabia

Electronic Arts has recently implemented another wave of layoffs, affecting various departments including recruitment, customer support, trust and safety, and IT.

Sources familiar with the situation, along with multiple public postings from affected employees, indicate that the total number of layoffs remains unclear. Reports highlight that individuals in remote roles across the U.S. and several employees from EA’s Hyderabad office in India were impacted, with some having dedicated over a decade to the company.

An internal email sent to EA’s Fan Care team referenced these layoffs as part of an initiative to “adapt how we work to better meet fans’ changing needs.” The message outlined plans to modify certain roles, introduce new positions, and reassign tasks to different teams or service partners.

EA has been experiencing ongoing layoffs for several years. In 2023, over 200 testers for Apex Legends were let go during a Zoom call, followed by an undisclosed number of layoffs at Codemasters. Later that year, nearly 800 employees were affected shortly after the company reported significant profits, with additional cuts at BioWare in August. In 2024, around 670 individuals were laid off, and in 2025, BioWare saw further reductions alongside a company-wide layoff affecting about 300 employees, including around 100 from Respawn, and the closure of Cliffhanger Games. This year, layoffs have already impacted developers working on Skate and Battlefield 6, despite the latter being the top-selling premium game in the U.S. for 2025.

Currently, EA is in the process of transitioning to a private entity in a deal valued at approximately $55 billion, involving a consortium that includes Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, Silver Lake Partners, and Affinity Partners, an investment firm established by Jared Kushner. While the sale has not yet finalized, it is anticipated to conclude soon, with a deadline for EU antitrust approval approaching on July 22. EA reported a net revenue of $7.5 billion for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2026, reflecting a 1 percent increase year-over-year.

EA has not provided a comment regarding these developments.