The deal, which takes the publisher of major franchises such as EA Sports FC, The Sims, and Mass Effect private, marks the largest leveraged buyout in corporate history and the second-largest acquisition in gaming history, behind Microsoft's $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard. EA has officially completed its $55 billion acquisition to an investor group comprised of Saudia Arabia's Public Investment Fund, Silver Lake, and Affinity Partners. Saudi Arabia has steadily expanded its investments in the global gaming industry as part of its Vision 2030 strategy to diversify the economy beyond oil. READ MORE: Vision 2030: how far has Saudi Arabia come? PIF already holds stakes in several major gaming companies, including Nintendo and Capcom, and has invested in e-sports, game publishing and international gaming events as it seeks to position the kingdom as a global gaming hub.