Electronic Arts (EA) is set to be taken private in a $55 billion leveraged buyout backed by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), Affinity Partners, and Silver Lake. If approved, it would be the largest buyout of a publicly traded company in US history. This deal will hand over unprecedented influence in one of the fastest growing industries to Saudi investors, and, due to the $20 billion in debt financing, further aggravate harmful anti-consumer practices that EA is already exploiting.

We, the undersigned, urge the Treasury Department and the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) to block this deal. Instead, regulators must ensure that EA, and the industry as a whole, is held accountable to three basic consumer protections:

1. Gamers’ Ownership Guarantee: When consumers buy a game, they own it permanently, with clear plans for access even after servers are shut down.
2. Honest Pricing Standard: All in-game purchases must display their true real-world price alongside any premium currency, ensuring transparency and protecting consumers from manipulation.
3. Right to Fair Gaming: End exploitative mechanics like gambling-like loot boxes, safeguard competitive integrity, and protect players’ freedom to enjoy single-player games without always-online requirements.

Blocking the EA buyout is about protecting consumers and ensuring that the video game industry can remain competitive, fair, and sustainable.