Electronic Arts’ Future Could Face Challenges as Saudi Investment Slows Down

Electronic Arts might be in for some changes as Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund slows down its big spending.After years of dropping serious cash on technology, entertainment, and  gaming, the fund has told its partners it cannot put out huge amounts of money right now.As we previously reported,  Electronic Arts has agreed to a $55 billion sale involving Silver Lake, Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, and other investors. This high-profile deal represents one of the biggest acquisitions in the gaming industry in recent years.However, with reports that Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund is slowing down its spending and reassessing its financial commitments, this deal might also be affected.That is unusual for a fund that normally moves fast and makes big investments.A lot of this comes down to projects that have been running into problems.According to reports, Neom, the massive city project, has hit delays and cost issues, and a big chunk of the fund’s over one trillion dollars in assets is tied up in projects that are hard to sell.With less liquid cash available, the fund is taking a step back from new global investments.Even though PIF still has about sixty billion in cash and similar assets, experts say it might not be enough to go all-in on risky bets. At the same time, the fund is still very involved in gaming.It is part of the fifty-five billion dollar deal to buy Electronic Arts with Silver Lake and Affinity Partners, expected to wrap up in early 2027.EA Skate, one of the games fans are hyped for, could feel some of these effects. Big releases like EA Skate rely on solid backing for development, updates, and marketing.Online skate shopSlower funding might mean delays in features or campaigns, but it does not mean the game is off the table. The project is still in motion, but timelines could shift.The fund is already deep in the gaming world with Scopely through Savvy Games Group and stakes in Take-Two, Nintendo, Capcom, Nexon, Embracer, and several esports ventures. That makes it a major player, and its decisions shape how games get made and reach players.On top of that, we also reported that the Saudi Minister wants to host the Olympics. That could be affected too, since hosting the games will cost a lot of money.With PIF tightening its spending and costs rising for global projects, both massive events like the Olympics and high-profile gaming releases like EA Skate might face delays or slower rollouts.Even with spending cuts and write-downs hitting other mega-projects, PIF is not stepping away from the gaming sector.For Electronic Arts, keeping projects like EA Skate on track will require careful planning.Gamers should expect updates and releases, but some of the timing might shift as the company adjusts to the new funding pace. The excitement around EA Skate is still strong, but the road ahead could be a little slower while cash flow gets sorted out.