A Steam profile reported as possibly belonging to a Saudi royal briefly said “I bought EA” after Electronic Arts’ sale was announced. The profile owner was never officially confirmed, while the sale itself has since closed: the Associated Press reported a $55 billion acquisition by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, Silver Lake, and Affinity Partners. The profile’s wording does not show that its user bought or controlled EA.
What did the Steam profile say?
Cybernews reported that a Steam account named “Abdullah_Al_Saud” briefly displayed the tagline “I bought EA. ***** Next?” and then “I bought EA.” The report also described the profile name as “Saudia, na-na-na” and cited a social-media post dated September 30, 2025, showing the profile text. These are reported details about a profile, not proof of who controlled it.
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Cybernews said the account was never officially confirmed as belonging to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman or another senior royal. The story drew competing theories: some speculated it was Mohammed bin Salman’s account, some commenters believed it belonged to Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz, and others suggested an esports or investment organization backed by Saudi interests could operate it. None of those identities was confirmed. The report also linked the profile’s byline to an older Reddit discussion about a Dota 2 bug, which likewise does not establish ownership. Cybernews’ account of the profile is the source for these reported details and qualifications.
Did a Saudi prince buy EA?
No evidence in the reporting connects the Steam account holder to the acquisition. The account’s first-person “I bought EA” line is a boast or joke associated with the deal, not proof that the user was one of the buyers.
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The corporate transaction is separate and confirmed: the Associated Press reported in 2026 that Electronic Arts completed a $55 billion sale to the Public Investment Fund (PIF), Silver Lake, and Affinity Partners. AP reported that $20 billion of the transaction was debt financing. Those figures describe the deal, not the Steam profile or its owner. The Associated Press report on the completed sale identifies the buyer group and financing.
What is known—and what remains speculation?
| Claim | Evidence status |
|---|---|
| The profile displayed “I bought EA.” | Reported by Cybernews, including a cited September 30, 2025 social-media post. |
| The account belonged to a particular Saudi prince. | Unconfirmed; Cybernews says the owner was never officially identified. |
| The profile holder personally bought EA. | Not established by the profile text or the cited reporting. |
| EA was sold to PIF, Silver Lake, and Affinity Partners. | Confirmed as a completed $55 billion transaction in AP’s 2026 report. |
Why did the acquisition draw scrutiny?
In an October 14, 2025 letter to EA chief executive Andrew Wilson, U.S. senators Richard Blumenthal and Elizabeth Warren expressed “profound concern” that EA might cease exercising editorial and operational independence under Saudi majority ownership. The letter also raised concerns about personal data, AI, and reduced transparency after EA’s move away from public-company reporting. These were the senators’ concerns, not findings that independence had been lost or that harmful conduct had occurred.
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- When you access your Visa Virtual eGift Card for the first time, you’ll need to register your name, address, phone number, and email address via activationspot.com. These details should also be used as your billing address for online purchases, as many merchants require address verification for purchase authorization.
- This Visa Virtual eGift Card is non-reloadable. No cash or ATM access. Visa Virtual eGift Cards are emailed active.
- Funds do not expire but your Visa Virtual eGift Card has a ‘valid thru’ date (9 years from date of purchase). If funds remain after this date has passed, please call the Toll Free number found on your Visa Virtual eGift Card for a replacement card. A one-time purchase fee applies at the time of checkout.
- This item is not eligible for refund, resale, or return. Available for sale within the United States only. Not available to residents of Puerto Rico, Hawaii, New Mexico, South Dakota, West Virginia and the US Virgin Islands.
The letter said EA had at least 700 million users and more than 13 billion hours played in 2024, attributing those figures to analysis it cited. They are figures in the senators’ letter, not independently verified findings by the Senate and not evidence about who controlled the Steam account. Read the October 14, 2025 Senate letter for the authors’ stated concerns and cited figures.
AP reported that the $20 billion in debt financing could lead to cost-cutting, presenting it as a possible consequence rather than a confirmed outcome. EA CEO Andrew Wilson said the company intended to “invest boldly, accelerate innovation, and build the next generation of games and experiences for the hundreds of millions of players and fans who inspire us every day.” PIF deputy governor and head of international investments Turqi Alnowaiser said the investors would “invest heavily in EA’s growth,” according to AP. Neither statement establishes what changes will occur.
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- When you access your Visa Virtual eGift Card for the first time, you’ll need to register your name, address, phone number, and email address via activationspot.com. These details should also be used as your billing address for online purchases, as many merchants require address verification for purchase authorization.
- This Visa Virtual eGift Card is non-reloadable. No cash or ATM access. Visa Virtual eGift Cards are emailed active.
- Funds do not expire but your Visa Virtual eGift Card has a ‘valid thru’ date (9 years from date of purchase). If funds remain after this date has passed, please call the Toll Free number found on your Visa Virtual eGift Card for a replacement card. A one-time purchase fee applies at the time of checkout.
- This item is not eligible for refund, resale, or return. Available for sale within the United States only. Not available to residents of Puerto Rico, Hawaii, New Mexico, South Dakota, West Virginia and the US Virgin Islands.
How the deal fits Saudi investment strategy
Axios described the takeover as part of a broader Saudi investment strategy. Its 2025 report put PIF’s size at $925 billion; that is context about the fund, not EA’s sale price. Michael Maudell, president of the Sovereign Wealth Fund Institute, told Axios: “At the end of the day, money is the main driver” of the investment strategy. The quote and fund figure reflect Axios’ reporting, not evidence about the Steam account’s operator. Axios’ analysis of the investment context discusses that broader strategy.
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- Visa Virtual eGift Cards are designed for online use only. Gift Cards are subject to Terms and Conditions: a.co/5bw3qXJ
- When you access your Visa Virtual eGift Card for the first time, you’ll need to register your name, address, phone number, and email address via activationspot.com. These details should also be used as your billing address for online purchases, as many merchants require address verification for purchase authorization.
- This Visa Virtual eGift Card is non-reloadable. No cash or ATM access. Visa Virtual eGift Cards are emailed active.
- Funds do not expire but your Visa Virtual eGift Card has a ‘valid thru’ date (9 years from date of purchase). If funds remain after this date has passed, please call the Toll Free number found on your Visa Virtual eGift Card for a replacement card. A one-time purchase fee applies at the time of checkout.
- This item is not eligible for refund, resale, or return. Available for sale within the United States only. Not available to residents of Puerto Rico, Hawaii, New Mexico, South Dakota, West Virginia and the US Virgin Islands.
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