EA’s studio network after the $55 billion buyout
Electronic Arts became a private company on 4 August after an all-cash acquisition by a consortium comprising Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, Affinity Partners and Silver Lake. The transaction is valued at $55 billion and is regarded as the leveraged buyout in history. Around $20 billion of the purchase was funded through borrowing.
The ownership change has raised questions about possible censorship, studio closures and the creative direction of EA’s games. In an October 2025 memo to employees made public through the US Securities and Exchange Commission, EA leadership said the company would “maintain creative control”. The memo also said the consortium supported investment in EA’s employees and culture. The long-term effect of the deal remains uncertain.
EA lists more than 20+ studios. The supplied details below cover ten of its creative, technology and support teams, including their locations, notable games, acquisitions and current work. For more gaming-industry coverage, visit the RETROCADE Arcade Blog.
BioWare
EA acquired BioWare in 2008. The developer operates from Edmonton, Alberta, and Austin, Texas, and is recognised for major single-player role-playing series such as Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Mass Effect and Dragon Age.
BioWare’s latest release was 2024’s Dragon Age: The Veilguard, which did not meet EA’s expectations. In November 2025, the studio said its team was concentrating exclusively on Mass Effect, as detailed in an official blog post.
Codemasters
Once described as the UK’s largest independent developer, Codemasters joined EA in 2021. Its racing portfolio includes the Dirt, Grid and F1 franchises.
The studio’s most recent game was F1 25. An extensive update is planned for this year, while F1 27 is the current project. Racing fans can also browse RETROCADE’s racing simulators.
Criterion
EA bought the UK developer Criterion in 2004. The studio is best known for Burnout and Need for Speed, and also contributed as a support developer to 2017’s Star Wars Battlefront 2.
With Need for Speed currently paused, Criterion has worked since 2023 as a support studio for the Battlefield series.
DICE
EA acquired Stockholm-based DICE in 2006. The studio created Battlefield and the Star Wars: Battlefront series, and is associated with EA’s Frostbite engine.
Battlefield 6, released last year, sold 20 million copies within a few months and made a significant impact against Call of Duty. DICE’s current priority remains Battlefield.
EA Capital Games
Based in Sacramento, EA Capital Games became part of EA in 2011. Its mobile work includes Lord of the Rings: Heroes of Middle-earth, which closed one year after its 2023 launch, and Star Wars: Galaxy of Heroes.
Released in 2015, Star Wars: Galaxy of Heroes had generated more than $1.4 billion in revenue as of 2021.
Firemonkeys
EA purchased Melbourne-based mobile developer Firemonkeys in 2012. The studio has worked on The Sims Mobile, Need for Speed: Most Wanted and the long-running The Sims FreePlay.
Firemonkeys now concentrates on live-service support and new content for its existing games. Melbourne’s place in the arcade industry makes this a notable local development story for Australian players.
Frostbite Labs
Frostbite Labs grew from the 2006 DICE acquisition and functions as a research group. Its work covers the Frostbite game engine, virtual-reality experiences, neural networks and machine learning.
Many, but not all, of EA’s major franchises use Frostbite. Recent examples include EA Sports College Football 27 and Battlefield 6. Readers interested in hardware technology can explore RETROCADE’s arcade parts range.
Full Circle
EA established Full Circle in 2021 to bring back the Skate franchise. The resulting game, styled skate. and also known as Skate 4, launched last year as an online-only free-to-play title with microtransactions.
The game is still in early access and remains in active development.
EA Korea Studio
In May 2008, EA acquired South Korean mobile developer and publisher Hands-On Mobile Korea. The purchase took place around the time EA made an unsuccessful bid to acquire Take-Two Interactive for $2 billion, as recorded in contemporary reporting.
The renamed EA Korea Studio currently handles live-service support and updates for FC Online. That mobile game is available only in South Korea, Vietnam, Thailand and China.
Maxis
Maxis has been part of EA since 1997. From the original SimCity through the enduring popularity of The Sims 4, the studio has built accessible simulation games for a broad audience.
Maxis continues to develop content for The Sims 4 and is also working on Project Rene, a social multiplayer game described by EA as “the next generation of The Sims” in an official blog post. For a physical gaming-room setup, RETROCADE’s arcade machine buying guide covers the key decisions before choosing a cabinet.
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