Videogame publisher EA’s $55 billion buyout turns spotlight on gaming IP diversification

Electronic Arts‘ record $55 billion leveraged buyout by Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund and two other firms marks a turning point in the videogame industry, as companies look to capitalize on intellectual property through media crossovers.

Despite being the largest entertainment industry in the world, the videogame market is undergoing a post-pandemic downturn as consumers rein in spending in response to higher prices, forcing companies and executives to think of other ways to leverage successful IP.

One way they’re doing that is through other…