Following Electronic Arts' transition into a private company through a Saudi-backed leveraged buyout, employees are voicing deep anxieties regarding potential workforce reductions, studio liquidations, and creative restrictions.
Internal accounts reveal widespread concern that the publisher's new ownership could influence project approvals. Workers fear management may engage in self-censorship, withholding green lights from titles or themes that fail to align with the cultural and political stance of the Saudi state, even without direct editorial directives from ownership.
Financial pressure stemming from the leveraged transaction has intensified fears over job security. Because the buyout saddles EA with substantial debt obligations, staff anticipate that underperforming divisions or game franchises may be shuttered or sold. Employees also express concern that future job cuts might be executed in smaller, continuous waves specifically structured to avoid regulatory notification rules under the WARN Act.
Staff morale has been further strained by executive handling of worker concerns during internal town halls. Employees characterized official responses as vague and out of touch, noting instances of executive dismissiveness when addressing questions about job stability and corporate ethics. Although management has emphasized financial payouts for workers holding vested shares, many staff members feel stuck in their positions given the current scarcity of employment opportunities across the broader games industry.
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