Long term they may look to do more strategic moves that do not pay off immediately but position them for future growth. Paying down the $20 billion in debt baked into the deal has put a new elephant in the room. The question is whether this creative vision manifests and aligns with what players hope to see both within, and particularly beyond, EA's live service and sports bubbles. "We live in a free market economy, Saudi Arabia has resources, and the country is not sanctioned," he says. "It's going to get worse before it gets better": $55 billion buyout has EA employees worried, and "nothing feels great" as "layoffs usually follow those type of acquisitions."